Patriots Should Trade Bailey Zappe For Trey Lance

By Steve Atkinson 

The Patriots currently have Mac Jones, Bailey Zappe, Trace McSorely, and Malik Cunningham in the quarterback room. But, with the 49ers demoting Trey Lance to third string behind Sam Darnold. Should the Patriots trade Zappe for Lance to be Mac’s backup? The answer is yes.

Trey Lance would end the sports radio debate of Zappe should start over Jones

The Zappe V Mac Jones debate shouldn’t even be one of Belichick didn’t hang Jones out to dry last year. I’m sick of the fake quarterback competition in training camp narrative when it was clearly Mac’s job to loose. Just to make the radio talking heads mad I would trade Zappe for Lance to backup Jones.

Kyle Shanahan  didn’t want to draft Trey Lance in the 2021 draft and wanted to take Jones. He was however talked into drafting Lance at 3rd overall while Kraft drafted Jones at 15. Lance was the number one quarterback last year but got hurt for the season then Brock Purdy took off and since Kyle seems to not like Lance he’s third string. He should at least be a backup. That is another reason the Patriots should trade Zappe for Lance to be the backup.

Shanahan spoke yesterday saying he hopes Lance stays with the 49ers

I’m really hoping so,” Shanahan said. “I mean, this isn’t a thing where we’re giving up on Trey. This is more of how Brock [Purdy] played in his seven games and that was decided before the season started, and how Sam [Darnold has] looked. They’ve both looked good but we have to make a decision here. You only get so many reps at it. We feel starting about 10 days ago Sam really separated himself, and we got to keep it real in that way.”

I don’t need to see Sam Darnold play he absolutely blows. How does a career backup beat out a third year player? Lance would benefit more and has more upside than Zappe does. Say Mac got hurt and missed some time Lance has the mobility to get out of the weak offensive line and make a play. Zappe is too short and stiff he always loves to throw in triple coverage. He can’t get out of the pocket fast enough with the weak offensive line.

“We’ll always try to do right for Trey,” Shanahan said. “If there’s a better situation that his heart’s in, we’re going to make sure not to hurt him in that way. So, that’s something I talked to him about this morning and stuff that I’ll talk to him about tonight and continue to talk to him about.”

Why doesn’t Belichick do Zappe a solid like he did for Garoppolo in 2017. Trade Zappe to the 49ers and get Lance who has more upside and would get the radio wannabe Michael Felger’s to stop talking up Bailey Zappe that he’s better than Mac Jones.

One of the reasons Belichick may not is because he wants Zappe breathing down the neck of Jones. If Belichick doesn’t get his way and Kraft wants Zappe traded then it will happen because Belichick has lost power.

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