Dobbs is also a much more mobile QB, and I assume they plan to implement a system based on a mobile QB given the franchise is going to be either Murray or Williams and getting your linemen and skill players used to that has value.
Final Patriots Roster Projection
- Thread starter RedOctober3829
- Start date
@Smiling Joe Hesketh is right. A few things here to process. 1) The offense was different last year. 2) Zappe's play was a mirage based on going against the worst defenses in the league and a heavy play-action offense. I know I have never been a Zappe guy but he couldn't handle the playbook this year. He consistently made the wrong decisions. 3) He doesn't have the physical tools at all so he has to be mentally ++ and he was not that this pre-season.
At the same time it was fine to take a backup QB in round 4. I wouldn't have taken Zappe but I trust their QB evals way more than my own.
At the same time it was fine to take a backup QB in round 4. I wouldn't have taken Zappe but I trust their QB evals way more than my own.
That makes sense as a reasonable answer to "but he knows the offense." Maybe he doesn't...this year. After all, *everyone* -- especially opposing defenses -- knew the Patriots' offense in 2022.
Asa for the 4th round argument, both Boutte and Douglas have made the team as 6th rounders, so maybe people can ease off with the criticisms of late round picks. 
This team goes where Mac Jones take it. For better or worse. I’m with SKH on this… Zappe sucks today and tomorrow.
Learn the playbook? Set, hut, duck.
Learn the playbook? Set, hut, duck.
I think the position is so valuable, particularly on a mid-round rookie contract, that you should draft a QB in the 3-5th rounds every year. If you get even just an OK backup for 3 seasons who won't totally shit himself if your starter misses two games that's a win, if you get a starter that's huge upside even if you trade him and the risk is low.
Are we pining for Sam Howell? We're criticizing Zappe for not being able to be in an offense that relies heavily on progressions but we want... Sam Howell? Howell is not a QB who would fit into this system. Howell ran an even simpler offense than Zappe in college. He had a flashier name coming out but there is a reason his stock plummeted.
Well I was wrong on Cunningham and I thought he was the one with the best chance to extend the streak. Hopefully he's able to make it through waivers.
I would stil think that Zappe is preferred over anyone on this list because he knowns the system...and has been successful in regular season games last year.
Did all 3 OL drafted this year make the team? If so, that's a lot of OL when combined with the two new OL we just got
People are freaking out of Zappe? Come on!
There are 10 QBs on the wire wire that would be equal or better backups. If Mac doesn't get better, a backup isn't taking this team anywhere. It's Mac or bust.
There are 10 QBs on the wire wire that would be equal or better backups. If Mac doesn't get better, a backup isn't taking this team anywhere. It's Mac or bust.
Kevin Harris made the team as a 6th rd pick last season. Not sure you get credit for rookies making the team. I'm encouraged with the camp reports but let's not put them in Canton yet.Asa for the 4th round argument, both Boutte and Douglas have made the team as 6th rounders, so maybe people can ease off with the criticisms of late round picks.
So they cut all three backup QBs and three backup RBs.
Leaving them with
QB Mac
RB Stevenson, Zeke
That’s it for the moment, right?
Leaving them with
QB Mac
RB Stevenson, Zeke
That’s it for the moment, right?
Oh ok didn’t catch that. Clearly they need to add at least one more QB and another RB.
Is Wentz available at QB? He’d be a solid veteran backup.
Is Wentz available at QB? He’d be a solid veteran backup.
I remember there being a lot of talk about Wentz having some locker room issues and not being really able to connect with guys, couple that with his penchant for terrible decision making and I'm not sure he's a guy I'd look at.
He was in the current system for a couple of months and showed no indication he had a high level grasp on it.
Zappe might come back because they know him and have a development plan for him but a vet might well pick up more in 2 weeks than he has this camp/pre-season
I would imagine that's been humbled out of him by now. I'd rather take a shot with Wentz then Zappe or the others.
Going to have some surprise final cuts I think as rumors Shaun Wade and Mack Wilson made the 53
In retrospect, Zappe doing ok with *checks notes* Patricia's offensive "playbook" may be a bug, not a feature. This is a new COMPETENT offensive playcaller and the fact Zappe seemed to take a step back is not a great sign. I think the variables are mostly the same, since the offensive line stunk pretty badly last year also.
As it currently looks, we have the following 58 players on the 53:
QB (1) M.Jones
RB (3) E.Elliott, T.Montgomery, R.Stevenson
WR (7) D.Parker, J.SmithSchuster, T.Thornton, M.Slater, K.Boutte, P.Douglas, K.Bourne
TE (2) H.Henry, M.Gesicki
C (3) D.Andrews, J.Ferentz, J.Andrews
G (3) M.Onwenu, C.Strange, A.Mafi
T (7) T.Brown, C.Anderson, C.McDermott, S.Sow, T.Wheatley, V.Lowe, R.Reiff
DE (2) D.Wise, K.White
DT (5) C.Barmore, D.Godchaux, S.Roberts, D.Ekuale, L.Guy
ILB(5) M.Mapu, M.Wilson, C.Board, J.GilesHarris, J.Bentley
OLB(4) M.Judon, J.Uche, A.Jennings, R.Perkins
CB (8) C.Gonzalez, Jo.Jones, M.Jones, M.Bryant, A.Speed, I.Bolden, S.Wade, Ja.Jones
SS (2) K.Dugger, A.Phillips
FS (3) J.Peppers, J.Mills, B.Schooler
ST (3) C.Ryland, B.Baringer, J.Cardona
Total players: 58
PUP: Flowers
So 5 more to go that are already cut but not announced? Probably will not keep 13 OL or 10 inside defenders or 8 corners. So my guess is that Speed, GilesHarris, Jake Andrews, McDermott, and Ekuale are gone, unless Bolden is on IR.
QB (1) M.Jones
RB (3) E.Elliott, T.Montgomery, R.Stevenson
WR (7) D.Parker, J.SmithSchuster, T.Thornton, M.Slater, K.Boutte, P.Douglas, K.Bourne
TE (2) H.Henry, M.Gesicki
C (3) D.Andrews, J.Ferentz, J.Andrews
G (3) M.Onwenu, C.Strange, A.Mafi
T (7) T.Brown, C.Anderson, C.McDermott, S.Sow, T.Wheatley, V.Lowe, R.Reiff
DE (2) D.Wise, K.White
DT (5) C.Barmore, D.Godchaux, S.Roberts, D.Ekuale, L.Guy
ILB(5) M.Mapu, M.Wilson, C.Board, J.GilesHarris, J.Bentley
OLB(4) M.Judon, J.Uche, A.Jennings, R.Perkins
CB (8) C.Gonzalez, Jo.Jones, M.Jones, M.Bryant, A.Speed, I.Bolden, S.Wade, Ja.Jones
SS (2) K.Dugger, A.Phillips
FS (3) J.Peppers, J.Mills, B.Schooler
ST (3) C.Ryland, B.Baringer, J.Cardona
Total players: 58
PUP: Flowers
So 5 more to go that are already cut but not announced? Probably will not keep 13 OL or 10 inside defenders or 8 corners. So my guess is that Speed, GilesHarris, Jake Andrews, McDermott, and Ekuale are gone, unless Bolden is on IR.
And Volin wins the race to author the stupidest take on Zappe being cut:
To Appease Mac and Make It Clear the Pats Are “His” Team.
To Appease Mac and Make It Clear the Pats Are “His” Team.
Just like Brady forced them to trade eventual 10-time SB winner Jimmy "OttoGrahamBartStarrJohnnyU" Garappolo.
Belichick is just so soft, the way he lets the players get away with this stuff.
Volin has had some real whoppers this week, and we know the bar for him is already low.
Or you know, BOB the new offensive coordinator who was dressing him down in the preseason games felt that he was not a good fit for the system and was time to move on. Or at least not worth carrying on the active roster.
You missed Jahlani Tavai.
Assuming Flowers and Cody Davis stay on PUP, 6 more cuts to go.
In reviewing O'Brien's 2011 campaign for his preferred personnel mix, I am seeing there were only 3 RBs which saw appreciable time during that season. The Law Firm (TM) BJGE, Stevan Ridley as a rookie slotted into RB2, and Danny Woodhead as the change of pace. Kevin Faulk only appeared in 7 games and was in his retirement season and Shane Vereen (the other rookie) only appeared in 5 games to the tune of 15 rushing attempts.
I do agree they SHOULD have another RB or at least a WR that can carry the ball in a pinch.
Ben looks in the mailbox, sees a paycheck, and figures that nobody ever loses their job due to incompetence.
View: https://twitter.com/ezlazar/status/1696657142541861212?s=20
QB (1): Mac Jones
RB (2): Rhamondre Stevenson, Ezekiel Elliott
WR (6): JuJu Smith-Schuster, DeVante Parker, Kendrick Bourne, Tyquan Thornton, Demario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte
TE (2): Hunter Henry, Mike Gesicki OL
(11): Trent Brown, Mike Onwenu, Cole Strange, David Andrews, Riley Reiff, Calvin Anderson, Jake Andrews, Sidy Sow, Atonio Mafi, Tyrone Wheatley Jr., Vederian Lowe
DL (7): Davon Godchaux, Deatrich Wise, Lawrence Guy, Christian Barmore, Daniel Ekuale, Keion White, Sam Roberts
EDGE (3): Matthew Judon, Josh Uche, Anfernee Jennings
ILB (5): Ja’Whaun Bentley, Jahlani Tavai, Mack Wilson, Marte Mapu, Chris Board
CB (7): Christian Gonzalez, Jonathan Jones, Marcus Jones, Jack Jones, Myles Bryant, Shaun Wade, Ameer Speed
S (4): Kyle Dugger, Adrian Phillips, Jabrill Peppers, Jalen Mills
Specialists (3): Chad Ryland, Bryce Baringer, Joe Cardona
Coverage aces (2): Matthew Slater, Brenden Schooler
QB (1): Mac Jones
RB (2): Rhamondre Stevenson, Ezekiel Elliott
WR (6): JuJu Smith-Schuster, DeVante Parker, Kendrick Bourne, Tyquan Thornton, Demario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte
TE (2): Hunter Henry, Mike Gesicki OL
(11): Trent Brown, Mike Onwenu, Cole Strange, David Andrews, Riley Reiff, Calvin Anderson, Jake Andrews, Sidy Sow, Atonio Mafi, Tyrone Wheatley Jr., Vederian Lowe
DL (7): Davon Godchaux, Deatrich Wise, Lawrence Guy, Christian Barmore, Daniel Ekuale, Keion White, Sam Roberts
EDGE (3): Matthew Judon, Josh Uche, Anfernee Jennings
ILB (5): Ja’Whaun Bentley, Jahlani Tavai, Mack Wilson, Marte Mapu, Chris Board
CB (7): Christian Gonzalez, Jonathan Jones, Marcus Jones, Jack Jones, Myles Bryant, Shaun Wade, Ameer Speed
S (4): Kyle Dugger, Adrian Phillips, Jabrill Peppers, Jalen Mills
Specialists (3): Chad Ryland, Bryce Baringer, Joe Cardona
Coverage aces (2): Matthew Slater, Brenden Schooler
I said this in another thread, but I think it's worth mentioning here: Curran has gotten much more click-baity in his old age, but his podcast last week was spot on. He deeply criticized Zappe's performance and the o-line construction, and the Pats have spent the week since that podcast addressing those issues.
On Zappe, I can't remember if it was Curran or Phil Perry, but their theory was the one mentioned above -- Zappe could handle the deeply-simplified Patricia playbook, but not the big-boy NFL BoB playbook.
As others have said, I don't think it's worth getting too wrapped up in any cuts until we see the IR moves/pickups/PS assignments over the next few days, but I do think the fact that they think they can cut Zappe and not have him get picked up is a bad sign for Zappe.
Edited to add: Just for comparison: NFL reference lists them as having 10 OL last year, 11 in 2021, 10 in 2020, 8 in 2019, and 10 in 2018.
On Zappe, I can't remember if it was Curran or Phil Perry, but their theory was the one mentioned above -- Zappe could handle the deeply-simplified Patricia playbook, but not the big-boy NFL BoB playbook.
As others have said, I don't think it's worth getting too wrapped up in any cuts until we see the IR moves/pickups/PS assignments over the next few days, but I do think the fact that they think they can cut Zappe and not have him get picked up is a bad sign for Zappe.
Edited to add: Just for comparison: NFL reference lists them as having 10 OL last year, 11 in 2021, 10 in 2020, 8 in 2019, and 10 in 2018.
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View: https://twitter.com/Patriots/status/1696662381139525797/photo/1
Looks like only change to the re-post is that Wheatley was on the wrong color backdrop.
I am glad that I don't have to listen to all of the hot takes tomorrow*, talking about the hubris of BB having only 1 QB on the roster going up against the Eagles.
*e,g, 2-6PM on the flagship.
*e,g, 2-6PM on the flagship.
Sadly this tracks. We have two decades of data that screams "players coach" about BB. Just more of the same placating of superstar players.
Theres still so much time before the first game. This is 100% not the game day roster.
I say that, but they drop Bryant and Reiff and add a backup QB and RB and they look pretty damn good
We didn't have a 2nd quarterback on the 53 two years ago until what week 3? Just Mac and then Hoyer coming up from the PS if I remember.