Is Patriots’ Bailey Zappe better than Mac Jones? Evaluating rookie QB’s performance and what team should do

Two Bailey Zappe starts in, and early-season complaints from Patriots fans about the team’s stagnant, vanilla scheme and lack of offensive skill-position talent have vanished. Imagine that. 

In those two NFL starts, Zappe is 41-of-55 for 497 yards with three touchdowns and a pick. That’s good for a robust 112.46 passer rating. 

Mac Jones had a similar two-game stretch in October, when he had a 114.2 passer rating in consecutive starts against the Cowboys and Jets. However, when counting Zappe’s relief appearance on Lambeau Field in Week 4, the rookie has three-straight 100-plus passer rating performances (although he only was 10-of-15 for 99 yards with a touchdown against the Packers).

Jones has yet to piece together a 100-plus rating in three-straight contests in the NFL. 

What do the Patriots really have in Zappe. And is he a better option at quarterback than Mac Jones?

In the 2022 draft class, Zappe was my No. 6 quarterback and No. 95 overall prospect. He ultimately was the fifth passer selected at No. 135 overall. Here’s what I wrote about Zappe before the draft in my Scouting Gradebook:

Smaller QB with whip-like delivery. Arm is good, not great. Throws with a 3/4 delivery that nearly gets to sidearm at times. Helps with his velocity. Played in wide open, spread Air Raid offense that afforded him massive throwing lanes. Noticeably aggressive on film. Tried to fit it into tight spaces at the intermediate and deep levels of the field often, and was typically successful. Scheme did inflate his numbers a bit. Plenty of impressive accuracy throws on film but right when you think he’s surgically accurate, he misses on two easy tosses. Tries to make the super-long throw a bit more than he should, because his arm isn’t that good. Arm talent is better than his arm strength. Very comfortable throwing off platform. Some twitch but won’t run away from NFL defenders. Pocket presence was good in college. Fun developmental type who does have some athleticism/arm strength limitations. If allowed to play “freely” will allow him to tap into every ounce of his ability.

And here’s what’s incredible — I gave Jones and Zappe the same grade before their respective drafts. 

Based on Zappe’s Western Kentucky film and what he’s shown early in his NFL career, the quickness of his release is currently his greatest strength as a thrower. There’s no wasted movement, the delivery isn’t elongated….