The New England Patriots had just one quarterback on the roster when they got down to the 53-man roster limit Tuesday, as they had parted company with Bailey Zappe. That left Mac Jones as the only quarterback on the roster. That was not a realistic way for the Patriots to start the season, and they picked up backup quarterback Matt Corral by claiming him on waivers.

The Pats also added Zappe to the practice squad, and it is expected that he will engage Corral to determine New England's backup quarterback this season.

It seems quite likely that Zappe will have the advantage in the battle because he knows the playbook much better than Corral. However, if Zappe can't establish himself as the better quarterback early in the competitive process, Corral could win the job.

Matt Corral had been a third-round draft choice out of Ole Miss for the Carolina Panthers in 2022. He had played well during the preseason last year, but he suffered a Lisfranc injury against the Patriots last year. He landed on Injured Reserve as a result of the injury.

He did not get into a regular-season game for the Panthers last year and now he will get an opportunity to show what he can do for offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien and the Patriots.

Many observers thought that Zappe would mount a significant challenge to Jones for  the QB1 position this summer. However, Zappe never showed the consistency during training camp or the preseason to get serious consideration for the position.