Zappe hour could be returning to New England.
With the Mac Jones era seemingly coming to a close following Sunday’s disheartening loss to the Colts, Tom Curran of NBC Sports Boston suggested backups Bailey Zappe and Will Grier could be elevated on the depth chart with seven games remaining in this lost season.
“Mac Jones is almost going to certainly sit. I think he’ll probably be dropped down to third-string,” Curran said Tuesday on “The Rich Eisen Show.”
“You’re gonna elevate Will Grier and you’re gonna elevate the player that took the final snaps the other day, Bailey Zappe.”
Zappe, who became a rookie sensation last season as Jones recovered from injury, entered Sunday’s contest in Germany with less than two minutes remaining.
He went 3-for-7 for 25 yards and threw the game-sealing interception in the 10-6 loss.
As for Grier, the 28-year-old journeyman joined the Patriots in September following previous stints with the Panthers, Cowboys and the Bengals’ practice squad.
Curran floated the idea that Grier could get the starting nod with Zappe, 24, waiting in the wings, should relief be needed.
“If I was a betting man I would say — and I don’t have any intel on this — but Will Grier gets the reps to be the starter, and if he fails in that, then Zappe would start and Grier would be [No.] 2, and you proceed through the end of the year and you try to maintain the culture,” the insider said.
There has already been chatter of locker room discord, with The Boston Herald’s Andrew Callahan reporting this week that “the ‘vast majority’ of players are done with” Jones, the 15th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Through 10 games this season, Jones — who was named to the Pro Bowl and reached the playoffs in his rookie year — has thrown 10 touchdowns against 10 interceptions.
Amid a disappointing 2-8 season, head coach Bill Belichick has been pressed repeatedly about his job security, all the while fielding questions about Jones’ status as the starter.
When asked Tuesday if Jones is still the quarterback under center, Belichick replied: “We have a lot of things to work on this week as a team. We’ll work through those.”
Though it remains to be seen who will start for the Patriots when they face the Giants (2-8) on Nov. 26, Jones took the first reps with the starting offense Wednesday at practice, according to NBC Sports Boston.
The Patriots are on a bye this week.