The New England Patriots returned to the practice field on Monday, and they had a new backup quarterback on the field.
Matt Corral, the second-year quarterback that was claimed off waivers after being released by the Carolina Panthers, was on the field in a Patriots jersey for the first time.
Buy Patriots TicketsThere has been talk of Corral potentially being the new No. 2 quarterback option behind Mac Jones, but the team has yet to confirm what direction they’ll ultimately go in ahead of their season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. They could also opt to promote Bailey Zappe from the practice squad and slot him back into the primary backup role until Corral gets up to speed with the offense.
First look at Matt Corral in Patriots gear. pic.twitter.com/MCjy7KFFcf
— Zack Cox (@ZackCoxNESN) September 4, 2023
Corral would be a more versatile option than Zappe under center, which might actually be better for the Patriots considering their offensive line issues. The former Ole Miss quarterback has the ability to scramble around and turn seemingly broken plays into positive gains.
His ceiling is always higher as a third-round draft pick coming off a season-ending foot injury. No one knows what Corral could be in the NFL. That alone makes the signing one of the more intriguing acquisitions up to this point.
