What the national ‘experts’ are saying about Bailey Zappe

After two straight wins and a 300 yard performance Sunday in Cleveland, Zappe Fever has officially infected New England. Has the fever spread across the country? Here’s a recap of what the national “experts” are saying about Bailey Zappe.

• Payton – Pats Perfect Team for Zappe

  Sean Payton joined The Herd with Colin Cowherd Monday and gave his take on Bailey Zappe

  "Bill Belichick is just going to go by what he sees... If he feels like that player gives him the best chance to win, that's who will play."
  
  — @SeanPayton on Bailey Zappe vs. Mac Jones pic.twitter.com/KUxQmU7l9n

  — Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) October 17, 2022

• Sean Payton: “It’s the perfect team — and I say this, and it’s a credit to New England, to Bill, to ownership, to the epitome of functionality — it’s the perfect team for a player like Bailey Zappe to be at,” 

  “We used to say this after the draft and the team’s all together, and in the meeting you have your draft picks, you have the guys you signed after the draft, free agents — so you have the fourth-round picks, and Bailey Zappe, and seventh-round picks and the first-rounders there, they’re all there, and then the free agents, and the free agents that are veterans from other teams. And we would always say, ‘Hey, you guys are here now and that’s the science and the art of procuring talent. How you arrived here will have no bearing on how much you play.’ Now, we can say that, but teams double down on mistakes all the time in our league, and it’s frustrating to watch, and you see it happening. Bill Belichick is just going to go by what he sees.” 

• PTI: Zappe has “Natural Swag” 

• Michael Wilbon: “You know when they talk about having every throw in the arsenal? This kid seems to have that. He stands in there and he makes these throws, and he has no pedrigree like Mac Jones. I don’t care about that. He seems to have some “natural swag” as they say. 

  Tony Kornheiser: “This is not like Dak Prescott and Cooper Rush. One guy is not significantly better than the other. One guy is not getting paid significantly more than the other and one guys does not have significantly more achievements than the other.” 

• Michael Irvin: “You are….a playmaker Bailey Zappe”

• Nick Wright: Mac Jones is a Backup QB

• Nick Wright, FS1: “I don’t know why I would change Quarterbacks. It’s not a Dak Prescott situation. Mac Jones does not discernably have more talent than Bailey Zappe so I don’t know why I’d change it.”  

  “Mac Jones is a backup Quarterback.” 

• AFC Executive: Zappe is as advertised

  Albert Breer spoke to an AFC personnel executive for his weekly column on The MMQB. Here’s what the executive said about Zappe:

  “I think he’s as advertised”

  “Very smart, has picked up their offense pretty quickly. He takes very good care of the ball, makes good decisions. His arm is not great, but he sort of has just enough for most throws. He gets exposed if there is tight coverage, but they do a good job scheming solid situations for him.” 

• Bonus RGIII Take

  I’m a HUGE Bailey Zappe guy. Absolute slinger of the rock.

  — Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) October 16, 2022