Explanation emerges for Bailey Zappe's increased workload at Patriots minicamp
BOSTON -- It wasn't the most eventful minicamp for the Patriots, which isn't the worst thing in the world for a team trying to get back on track after a down year. Yet it raised some eyebrows when Bailey Zappe got a number of first-team reps on Tuesday, the second (and, as it turns out, final) day of mandatory minicamp.
MassLive described the number of first-team reps for Zappe as "eye-opening." Several reports took note of the session when Zappe got the first-team reps over Mac Jones, who himself took some reps behind the backup offensive line. And considering what happened when Jones sneakily surpassed Cam Newton as the No. 1 starter two years ago, antennae were raised about this particular arrangement of snaps.
But on Wednesday, after Bill Belichick had canceled the final day of minicamp, ESPN's Mike Reiss provided what serves as an explanation for that distribution of reps.
"They went through everything, including contingency personnel situations (e.g. backup QB steps in, backup C steps in etc.)," Reiss said of Tuesday's practice.
A team-building, no-practice day for Patriots on Day 3 of mandatory minicamp.
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) June 14, 2023
There was a sense of finality after Tuesday’s practice. They went through everything, including contingency personnel situations (e.g. backup QB steps in, backup C steps in etc.).
So now, some fun.
That makes some sense, especially considering Tuesday's practice session had a noticeable drop in intensity from the previous day.
For now, Zappe, Jones and the rest of the Patriots will be off the field until training camp opens in late July.