Getty Bill Belichick may have a QB issue on his hands.
Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots may have a QB issue.
Second-year QB Mac Jones is still hurt and is currently listed as doubtful for the team’s Week 5 matchup with the Detroit Lions. Veteran backup QB Brian Hoyer is out with a concussion and has been placed on injured reserve.
Rookie Bailey Zappe played well after he was inserted into emergency duty in the Week 4 loss on the road against the Green Bay Packers. He looks like the man on pace to start against the Lions. If Zappe plays well, the QB issue may turn into a controversy.
For now, the Patriots could be urged to make a move to address their lack of depth at QB. The team signed Garrett Gilbert to their practice squad this week, but even the much-traveled veteran knows he’s merely a band-aid or an in-the-case-of-an-emergency-break-glass option.
New England hopes they don’t have to break the glass on Sunday.
If Jones is out for longer and Zappe doesn’t show exponential growth in Week 5, the Patriots could find themselves combing the streets or NFL rosters for another option under center. The Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora’s believes the Pittsburgh Steelers will trade former No. 2 pick and current starter Mitchell Trubisky soon.
Is that a player, the Patriots, should be interested in acquiring? Spencer Schultz of Steelers Nation asks if New England should be among the teams inquiring about the availability of Trubisky or Mason Rudolph as the team gets ready to turn the keys over to Kenny Pickett.
Here is a trade concept that could potentially work for the Patriots and Steelers if the two teams have a mutual interest in pulling off a deal.
- Patriots Get: Trubisky and a 2023 7th-round pick
- Steelers Get: Patriots 2023 fifth-round and 2024 sixth-round pick
Does Mitchell Trubisky Have Anything to Offer the Patriots?
Acquiring Trubisky would give the Patriots a 28-year-old, former Pro-Bowl quarterback who has a tough time finding a long-term home since the Chicago Bears (the team that traded up to draft him with the No. 2 pick in the 2017 NFL Draft) gave up on him at the end of the 2020 season.
Trubisky will probably never come close to living up to his billing coming out of North Carolina. He’s mobile, evidenced by his ten rushing TDs and two career runs of 45-plus yards. Trubisky has a winning QB record at 30-24, and his 2.4% interception percentage is superior to Jones’ 2.9%.
Could Trubisky come to New England and push Jones? Is either of them better than Zappe?
We don’t know the answer to those questions though a case could be made that Trubisky could potentially give the Patriots a better chance to win than Jones.
The missing link here is a complete evaluation of Zappe.
Do the Patriots Have a QB Controversy Brewing?
To put things plainly, if Zappe throws for 250+ yards, 2 TDs, no interceptions (at least no egregious ones), and most importantly, the Patriots defeat the Lions, there should be a legitimate question as to whether Belichick and Co. should consider riding what could be defined as a hot hand.
With no starter reps to prepare for a tough road contest against the Packers, Zappe nearly led the Patriots to an upset win at Lambeau Field.
To answer the question, there is no controversy yet, but we’re one Zappe performance away from questioning if the Patriots should return to Jones even once he’s healthy.