The New England Patriots don't have a backup quarterback behind starter Mac Jones right now, but that is likely to change in the near future.
The Patriots, in a surprising move, waived both Bailey Zappe and Malik Cunningham before Tuesday's NFL deadline for all teams to trim their rosters to 53 players.
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Zappe could still be the backup quarterback if he clears waivers. Waivers claims need to be made by noon ET on Wednesday. It's also possible that Zappe and Cunningham go to the practice squad if they clear waivers.
If Zappe isn't the backup, who could the Patriots target on the waiver wire or free agent market?
Well, two players they currently don't have interest in are veterans Carson Wentz and Nick Foles, per Mark Daniels of MassLive.
New England Patriots
Wentz didn't play well for the Washington Commanders last season and they went 2-6 in the games he started. Foles has played just four games with one touchdown and four interceptions over the last two seasons. He's not really a viable option at this point.
Colt McCoy is available after being released by the Arizona Cardinals, but he's dealt with injuries in recent seasons. Jake Fromm impressed in Week 3 of the preseason but has limited experience. Chase Daniel, Trevor Siemian, Jeff Driskel, Ben DiNucci and Tommy DeVito are other quarterbacks currently available.
None of these options are very exciting, so if Zappe isn't claimed Wednesday, it probably makes the most sense to enter the regular season with him as the backup.