The New England Patriots open up the 2023 preseason against the Houston Texans on Thursday night.
Mac Jones has seemingly had the edge in New England’s quarterback competition, and when the team released its first unofficial depth chart this week, the 2021 first-round pick was listed as QB1.
Second-year signal caller Bailey Zappe, a fourth-round pick in 2022, is listed as the backup, followed by Trace McSorley and Malik Cunningham.
Jones being slotted in as the starter is good news for him for Week 1, but it seems unlikely we’ll see him play tomorrow night, based on reports out of Patriots camp.
Patriots Wednesday
🏈 Day-before-game walkthrough (no media/public access)
NOTES: DE Trey Flowers signs, then placed on active/PUP list…QB Mac Jones, many starters not expected to play in Thursday’s preseason opener…TE Mike Gesicki makes highlight-reel 1-handed catch again.
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) August 9, 2023
Bill Belichick himself said on Tuesday that the “lesser experienced players” will receive the bulk of the snaps against Houston.
“But the players who are least experienced will get the most playing time,” he said, via NESN.com. “I can tell you that.”
The Patriots and Texans will kick off at 7 p.m. ET tomorrow night from Gillette Stadium. New England will also face the Green Bay Packers and Tennessee Titans in the preseason before opening up against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 1.