FOXBOROUGH – Bailey Zappe has had an interesting year to say the least. Most people would be dizzy just from all of the twists and turns packed into the last three months alone.
First he was vying for the top job with Mac Jones during training camp. Then he was cut, suggesting the team no longer wanted him. Next he was re-signed to the practice squad. Then he was signed back to the 53-man roster as the backup who was twice called on to relieve Jones.
On Sunday, he was the emergency third quarterback, designated to only see action if both Jones and Malik Cunningham couldn’t play and were injured.
Talk about a roller coaster ride, Zappe, who spoke at his locker Wednesday, has lived through it, and continues to smile. He’s taken it all in stride and continues to roll with the punches.
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Zappe said the Patriots haven’t blindsided him. He’s known ahead of time what they were thinking. He was given the heads up earlier in the week about former practice squad member Cunningham being signed to the active roster, then being used as the backup, leaving Zappe as the No. 3.
“They do a really good job here with communication, so I was able to find out (ahead of time),” he said. “But for me, I was preparing like I usually would. So it really didn’t change a thing how I prepared through the week . . . I was just trying to be the best teammate I could and try and help out the team and try and get a win.”
Looking at the bigger picture, and all of the ups and downs, Zappe said he’s managed to stay even-keeled. He’s tried not to let the outside factors impact him or his play.
“That’s how he was raised, to always be the same person every day no matter what’s going on, good or bad, just being cool, calm and collected,” he said. “As cliche as that is, that’s how I was raised. There’s been some tough parts, the lowest of the lows getting cut, then signing back to my rookie contract. So it was basically like nothing happened.
“So it’s been the lowest of the lows, then going back to the highest of the highs. So I’m just trying to stay the same person every day.”
Zappe was summoned late during back-to-back blowout losses to Dallas and New Orleans with an ineffective and mistake-prone Jones being yanked.
He played a quarter and quarter-plus in each of those games but didn’t do much to provide a lift or a spark – which is something he managed last season. Against the Cowboys, he was 4-for-9 for 57 yards. A week later against the Saints, he went 3-for-9 for 22 yards.
Zappe said he tried not to read into each move, and how the Patriots have been handling him throughout.
“That’s up to Coach Belichick. That’s a decision that’s solely up to him,” Zappe said with respect to playing, backing up, or otherwise. “I’m doing everything I can to help the team win, whether it’s on the field, off the field. Whenever it is, and my opportunity comes, I hope everybody knows I’m ready. I’m just taking it day-by-day, trying to get better.”
He prepares every week as if he’s going to start, or get a chance during the game. And that doesn’t matter if he doesn’t get many gets during the week, or if he’s the quarterback on the scout team.
“Every opportunity I get, I try and take advantage of it and try to show that I’m ready to be on the field, and that I can play,” he said. “That’s really the only thing you can do. The coaches, that’s their decision…they have tough jobs. They have to do some very hard things. Whatever they decide, whatever is best for the team, I respect it, and I’ll do whatever I can.”
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