The New England Patriots claimed former Carolina Panthers quarterback Matt Corral off waivers after releasing and then re-signing backups Bailey Zappe and Malik Cunningham to the practice squad earlier this week.
The 24-year-old, Matt Corral, was one of the most recent victims of the NFL’s deadline for final roster cuts this week. The Panthers traded up to select him in the third round of the 2022 draft, but he had an uneven preseason behind first-round pick Bryce Young and veteran backup Andy Dalton.
Corral could now open the 2023 season as the Patriots’ top backup behind Mac Jones. However, he will have to compete with Zappe for the No. 2 job, according to NFL Media.
The New England Patriots opened the 2023 offseason by declaring a quarterback competition between Bailey Zappe and Mac Jones. However, Jones took the bulk of the first-team reps as the summer wore on, and Zappe was released as the Patriots trimmed their 90-man offseason roster. Zappe was then re-signed to the practice squad a day later.
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All signs initially pointed to Zappe serving as Jones’ top backup this year, but the Patriots’ claim of Matt Corral off waivers could change that. Corral will already be on the active roster, meaning he could open the season as the official No. 2 quarterback. Corral missed his entire rookie season due to a foot injury, but he has returned to full speed this preseason.
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Matt Corral was a dual-threat quarterback for the Ole Miss Rebels from 2019 to 2021. In his three seasons, he completed 67.9% of his passes for 8,286 yards and 49 touchdowns. He also rushed for 1,338 yards and 18 touchdowns. Corral’s best season came in 2021 when he threw for 3,961 yards and 29 touchdowns and rushed for 599 yards and 11 touchdowns. He was named the SEC Offensive Player of the Week twice that season.
