Bailey Zappe

Three Potential Landing Spots for Mac Jones

Chris McGlynn Football, NFL , , , , , , , , ,

Is this premature? Absolutely. Am I going to do it anyway? You bet.

We haven’t seen quarterback drama like this in New England since at least 2017 when the team traded Jimmy Garoppolo to San Francisco. At that point, the Patriots still had Tom Brady. Mac Jones seemed to be Brady’s heir after the Pats spent a first round pick on him in 2021. New England reached the playoffs and Jones was in the conversation for Rookie of the Year.

Oh how things have changed.

Jones opened the season as the unquestioned starter, but suffered an ankle injury in Week 3 that forced him to miss the next three games. Brian Hoyer was supposed to be his short-term replacement, but then the veteran quarterback suffered a concussion during his first start against the Packers.

Enter Bailey Zappe.

The rookie fourth-round pick from Western Kentucky was a bit of a surprise pick by the franchise in this draft, but most viewed him as a developmental prospect who could be a quality backup long term. That has not been the case so far. Zappe nearly upset the Packers in Week 4 coming in to replace Hoyer. He led the Patriots to back-to-back wins over the Lions and Browns, completing 41 of 55 passes for 497 yards with three touchdowns and an interception.

Needless to say, fans in New England were ready for Zappe Hour and The Zappening and everything in between. However, Mac Jones was cleared to return for Monday Night Football against the Bears and got the start. Jones didn’t last long though. He attempted just six passes, amassing 13 yards, and was pulled after throwing an interception. Zappe got the offense moving, scoring a pair of touchdowns to take a 14-10 lead. Things went off the rails from there. Chicago went on to win 33-14.

Zappe clearly provided a spark, but it fizzled and it left New England in a tricky spot at quarterback. Belichick dodged questions about who his starting quarterback would be going forward. He said Jones was taken out of the game because he wasn’t healthy. If that was really the case, then why was Jones out there in the first place? This whole situation is a bit bizarre and really casts a shadow over his future with the team.

It certainly appears that Belichick is no longer 100% committed to Jones. He has been underwhelming this season, with just three touchdowns to six interceptions. His passer rating and completion percentage are also down from a year ago.

As I already noted, this is definitely a bit early to talk about Jones no longer being with the Patriots. This would be very early to move on from a first-round pick at quarterback after just two seasons, especially without a change in the front office. Still, stranger things have happened. If Jones does become available, there are a few teams that will definitely be interested.

Indianapolis Colts
The Colts have been searching for a quarterback since Andrew Luck retired. Matt Ryan was the team’s fourth opening day starter in as many years. This team has been searching for a long-term solution, but has only had stop-gap answers. Acquiring Jones could potentially end the carousel at the position.

Now, I can understand why Indianapolis might be hesitant to make this move. The Colts brought in Carson Wentz hoping a change of scenery would bring out the best in a player that looked like an MVP before he suffered a season-ending knee injury in 2017. That obviously didn’t work out as the Colts shipped him out to Washington after just one season.

The difference here is that Jones is still on his rookie deal. Wentz had already signed a mega extension with a ton of money guaranteed. It makes acquiring Jones a much lower-risk move by comparison. Frank Reich is on the hot seat. I’m not sure he will get another chance with this team, but Chris Ballard has put together a pretty good roster outside of the quarterback spot. Jones could give him a consistent, accurate passer to operate a run-focused offense centered around Jonathan Taylor.

New Orleans Saints
The Jameis Winston experiment in New Orleans has not gone according to plan. His play has been inconsistent, but more importantly, his health has kept him off the field. An ACL injury cost him the remainder of the 2021 season. Now, he is dealing with multiple fractures in his back and a lingering ankle injury. Andy Dalton has fared well in relief, but I can’t imagine that the Saints really believe he could be the long-term answer at quarterback.

Jones has a similar playstyle to Drew Brees and while Sean Payton is no longer the head coach, this is still largely the same staff. Saints offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael had a lot of success with an incredibly accurate quarterback who lacked elite mobility and arm strength. New Orleans has already sunk a lot of draft capital into this team, so I would not be shocked to see them go all in by acquiring an upgrade at quarterback.

Washington Commanders
I already talked about Carson Wentz and how he struggled in Indianapolis. Things have not been much better since he joined the Commanders. His protection was terrible before he suffered a thumb injury that landed him on injured reserve. According to Spotrac, Washington can move on from Wentz this offseason with minimal dead. Releasing him would free up $27 million in cap space. Needless to say, Wentz’s future in D.C. doesn’t look great. I think it is also safe to assume that Washington does not believe in Taylor Heinicke long term. They went out and acquired Wentz despite having Heinicke still on the roster. It feels like this team is poised to look elsewhere this offseason when it comes to the quarterback position.

Jones would certainly need better protection if he were to thrive in Washington, but $27 million would give the Commanders a decent amount to invest in their offensive line. Terry McLaurin would unquestionably be the best receiver Jones has ever worked with and it would be a reunion with his former teammate Brian Robinson. This is another tricky spot with Ron Rivera on the hot seat, but adding a young quarterback on a rookie deal could buy him a bit more time to turn things around in Washington.

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Quarterbacks of the 2022 NFL Draft: Rankings, Projections, Grades and Predictions

Chris McGlynn Draft, Football, NFL , , , , , , , , , ,

NFL Draft Daily looks at top stories, historical trends, player performances and more all through the lens of the NFL Draft. After all, there are only 2 days until the 2022 NFL draft. Check back in tomorrow for another entry.

If you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it 1,000 times: this is not a good quarterback class. It is likely the worst we have seen since the 2013 draft that produced E.J. Manuel, Geno Smith and Mike Glennon. In short a who’s who of backups and future analysts. This class has a bit more promise than that, but has confounded draft analysts and amateur mockers alike. No one seems to have a great read on where these players will land exactly.

A telling sign for how the league views this quarterback class is the mad dash to add veteran quarterbacks this offseason. Now, some of those moves won’t preclude teams from adding quarterbacks in this draft, but no one seems to be heading into this year counting on a rookie start, except maybe Carolina.

Everyone has their own order for how they think these players stack up. But beyond that, I go through the floor, ceiling, my grade and my expectation for where these players will be selected on draft day. Let’s get started.

1. Malik Willis, Liberty
Floor: Bust who is out of the league in four years
Ceiling: Pro Bowl level starter
Grade: Top-25 prospect
Draft Day Prediction: Top-10 selection
To me, there is Willis and then everyone else. That actually says more about the competition than it does about Willis himself. He is a plus athlete with a live arm. His arm strength is impressive and he can make every throw. He is accurate and on time more often than not as well. However, he has zero pocket awareness and a penchant for holding onto the ball for way too long. Willis is also terrible under pressure. He took 52 sacks this past season, including nine against Ole Miss. People want to make the comparison to Lamar Jackson, but Lamar is a much better athlete. The upside is tantalizing, but there is a ton of work to do in order for Willis to be successful at the next level.

2. Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh
Floor: Top-tier backup
Ceiling: Above average NFL starter
Grade: Early 2nd-round prospect
Draft Day Prediction: Top-20 selection
Like it or not, you have to give Pickett credit for the incredible rise he had this season. He went from off the radar to a Heisman finalist and potential first-round pick. Widely viewed the safest quarterback in this class, there are some limitations to his game, much like seemingly every quarterback this year. For Pickett, it’s his hand size and his arm strength. He has enough zip over the middle, but struggles on throws outside the boundaries. There is also something to be said for the fact that he will turn 24 in June. He is much further along in his development as a quarterback than anyone else in this class. That being said, he is far and away the most pro ready passer available in this draft. His athleticism makes up for some of his shortcomings in the pocket though, with the ability to throw on the move and pick up yards with his legs. He is the only quarterback in this group that feels completely scheme versatile, which also ups his appeal.

3. Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati
Floor: Career backup, locker room guy
Ceiling: Fringe Pro Bowl player
Grade: Early-to-mid 2nd-round prospect
Draft Day Prediction: Late 1st-round selection
This is high praise, but there is something about Ridder that is reminiscent of Josh Allen coming out. He is an underrated athlete, posting an impressive 4.52 40-time at the combine and also blowing the competition away in the broad jump and vertical jump. He has a good arm and is built like a tight end. He can run you over smaller defenders and bang for extra yardage. There is definitely some room for him to add weight on his frame though. The issues with Ridder stem from his inconsistency on throws over the middle. His short-to-intermediate accuracy is very inconsistent. There are also some mechanics you would like to see him clean up. I would love to see him change his release point more as well. He is a project, but teams love his leadership skills and his demeanor.

4. Sam Howell, UNC
Floor: Career backup
Ceiling: Fringe Pro Bowl player
Grade: Late 2nd-round or early 3rd-round prospect
Draft Day Prediction: Late 2nd or early 3rd-round selection
If you want a more athletic version of Baker Mayfield, I have just the guy for you. Keep in mind that Mayfield was the No. 1 overall pick and led the Browns to a playoff victory. Howell has a strong arm and good physicality to him. He is special as a runner, breaking tons of arm tackles and showing really impressive balance. Definitely a bit undersized, Howell does not let that impact his play much. He is more than capable of airing it out down the field. However, he gets a bit too casual sometimes when he lets the ball go and his footwork is a bit sloppy. He also has a tendency to stare down his first read and then bail with his legs when it doesn’t work out. There are not a ton of instances on film where he actually goes through his progressions, which is definitely worrisome. Physically, he is NFL ready. Mentally, there is a long way to go.

5. Matt Corral, Ole Miss
Floor: Injury prone, out of the league in four years
Ceiling: Fringe Pro Bowl player
Grade: Early 3rd-round prospect
Draft Day Prediction: Early 2nd-round selection
There are some that love Corral and have him as the top quarterback in this class. My assessment: Corral is a system quarterback that struggles to push the ball down the field. His accuracy is probably the best in this class even though his ball placement is a little spotty sometimes. Corral is a plus athlete though and can scramble to pick up a few yards with his legs. A major red flag is his ability to handle the blitz. He is one of the worst in this class when faced with pressure. He can excel in a West Coast offense, but he is not going to be a fit everywhere. On top of that, he has a slight frame and has already dealt with injuries in college. He could be a solid NFL starter, but there are clear limitations to his game and a lot of concerns about his durability. My fear is that he will constantly get banged up and try to play through injury, resulting in drop offs like we’ve seen from players like Kyler Murray and Baker Mayfield when not at full strength. There are too many red flags for me to take him before the third round.

6. Carson Strong, Nevada
Floor: Career backup
Ceiling: Above average starter
Grade: 4th-round prospect
Draft Day Prediction: 4th-round selection
Strong is a throwback to 90s and early 2000s football. He commands the pocket well and has the arm strength to make every throw, but he is a statue that struggles any time he is forced outside the pocket. Not only does he lack good mobility, but he does not do well throwing on the run. He throws a nice deep ball, but there are moments where he misses on short and intermediate routes. We’ve seen players like Matthew Stafford and Matt Ryan succeed despite limited mobility, but Strong’s arm is not on the same level. In today’s NFL, where RPOs, play action and moving pockets are fairly common, I see him having a tough time adapting.

7. Bailey Zappe, Western Kentucky
Floor: Career backup, pseudo quarterbacks coach
Ceiling: Spot starter
Grade: 5th or 6th-round prospect
Draft Day Prediction: 5th or 6th-round selection
Who threw for the most passing yards of any player in this class in 2021? That would be Zappe. He is on the doorstep of the NFL after taking a very unique route to get to this point. He transferred to Western Kentucky after spending his career prior to that at FCS Houston Baptist. Zappe is a product of the Air Raid system, which the NFL has a bit of a love/hate relationship with. He is a rhythm player who could thrive in the NFL if he is not asked to do too much, but lacks the physical tools to make you believe he has true starter potential. He tested well enough to make me believe he will be a Day 3 pick. Look for him to be an offensive coordinator down the line. That’s the type of player we are talking about here. Really bright and a great understanding of the playbook.

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