Chiefs rob NFL of QB2 option with latest practice squad insurance for Patrick Mahomes

The first round of NFL roster cuts before yesterday’s deadline left several notable quarterbacks struggling. The Kansas City Chiefs looked solid at the position with Patrick Mahomes and Carson Wentz, but Brett Veach managed to upgrade the practice squad with a surprising addition.

Bailey Zappe, known for his role with the New England Patriots, has landed in Kansas City as the QB3 in waiting, according to Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report.

Zappe famously battled Mac Jones in the Patriots’ ongoing QB competition last season. He appeared in 10 games (including six as a starter) and completed 59.9 percent of his passes, throwing for 1,272 yards, six touchdowns and nine interceptions. Zappe also ran for 83 more yards and another TD.

In the most charitable way possible, Zappe narrowly edged out Jones in the Patriots’ last QB room under Bill Belichick. That’s not exactly an impressive feat. That said, he’s the kind of upside player that teams love to take as a backup QB. At 25, Zappe still has room to grow and he now has some real NFL experience under his belt. It’s worth noting that New England was probably the worst possible ecosystem for a QB last season.

There’s a good chance Zappe will look better in a new home.

Kansas City waived Chris Oladokun after some impressive preseason performances, paving the way for Zappe to join the practice squad. A fourth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft out of Western Kentucky, Zappe has become a beloved figure in the Patriots locker room (if not Patriots fandom).

A lack of roster space led to Zappe’s availability. There simply wasn’t room on the Patriots’ roster after bringing in Jacoby Brissett, Drake Maye, and Joe Milton in the span of one offseason. Zappe earned his opportunities in 2023, and while he didn’t do much with them, we have to reiterate how bad the Patriots’ offensive setup was. Zappe was left behind what is arguably the worst offensive line in the NFL, and his playmaking corps wasn’t much better.

New England lacked the talent to establish a consistent running game, which put a huge strain on the passing attack, led by inexperienced and seriously flawed QBs and a basement WR room. It was simply a bad recipe in every way.

It would take some seriously unfavorable developments for Zappe to actually see action for the Chiefs, but he’s as solid a QB3 bet as you’ll find in the league. Kansas City isn’t exactly awash with established receivers, but the Pats didn’t even have a Hollywood Brown or Xavier Worthy last season. They certainly didn’t have a Travis Kelce. The Chiefs’ offensive line, meanwhile, is shaping up to be one of the best in football.

This is also a solid bet from Zappe’s perspective. He’s certainly had multiple practice squad offers on the table, but the Chiefs’ offense is a great environment to thrive in, even if it’s just in a practice setting. This likely won’t be the last we hear of Bailey Zappe in the NFL.