NFL Draft

Patriots Waive QB Bailey Zappe

The Patriots are making a surprise move, waiving their young backup quarterback.

Luke Easterling

Patriots Waive QB Bailey Zappe
Patriots Waive QB Bailey Zappe /
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The New England Patriots are waiving backup quarterback Bailey Zappe, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

It's a surprise move by the Pats, as Zappe showed plenty of promise last season as a rookie, often playing better than starter Mac Jones.

A fourth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Zappe put up record-breaking numbers at Western Kentucky, and showed flashes of brilliance for an often lifeless Pats offense when he got his opportunities to play last season.

It remains to be seen whether or not the 24-year-old will be brought back to New England's practice squad, or picked up on waivers by another quarterback-needy team.

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Luke Easterling
LUKE EASTERLING

Luke Easterling (he/him) has been covering college football and the NFL for more than two decades, with a particular focus on the nexus of both, the NFL Draft. Writing for some of the largest and most recognizable brands in sports media, Luke's experience and expertise in evaluating potential NFL prospects and evaluating team needs/fits has earned the appreciation of his readers, and the respect of his peers. Luke cut his sports journalism teeth at The Tampa Tribune before spending two years at Bleacher Report as a featured columnist covering the NFL Draft and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Luke then spent nearly seven years at USA TODAY Sports Media Group as editor of Draft Wire and Bucs Wire, building both into authoritative destination sites for their respective audiences. Now at The Arena Group, Luke covers the NFL and college football for Athlon Sports, and runs Sports Illustrated's FanNation site for the NFL Draft. A graduate of the University of South Florida, Luke has been a featured guest on ESPN Radio, CBS Sports Radio, Fox Sports Radio, SiriusXM and more.  Based in Tampa, Florida (the true home of the Cuban sandwich), Luke plays the drums, loves 2000s pop-punk, watches way too many British murder mystery shows, and channels the energy of his deep-south Grammy and his full-Italian Nana in the kitchen. Twitter: @lukeeasterling Email: luke.easterling@si.com

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