Patriots Part Of Claimed Quarterback Matt Corral’s Past And Present

The New England Patriots passed the NFL’s 53-man roster deadline with a quarterback depth chart of one.

The organization has since found backup company behind captain and starter Mac Jones, claiming Matt Corral off waivers on Thursday.

Corral, 24, entered the league in the third round of the 2022 draft. The Ole Miss product did so at No. 94 overall, a pick that the Carolina Panthers traded up to make. On the other side of the exchange was head coach Bill Belichick’s war room, which acquired capital in the fourth round last April as well as the third round this April.

That capital, No. 137 and No. 76 overall, was turned into former Western Kentucky quarterback Bailey Zappe and former Sacramento State linebacker Marte Mapu. Each is in the fold in Foxborough now.

The 6-foot-2, 205-pound Corral marked the fourth quarterback prospect taken in his draft class. He appeared in 37 games with the Rebels dating back to 2018, finishing as a second-team All-SEC selection and also seventh in Heisman Trophy voting.

As a redshirt junior coming off Outback Bowl MVP honors, Corral completed 68% of his passes for 3,349 yards with 20 touchdowns. Five interceptions were thrown while mobility outside the pocket continued to be shown. He rushed 152 times for an additional 614 yards and 11 scores that fall.

Last August, the Patriots hosted then-head coach Matt Rhule’s Panthers for joint practices. Those practices led up to a preseason matchup at Gillette Stadium, where Corral connected on 9-of-15 throws for 58 yards. He took 31 offensive snaps before sustaining a tear of the Lisfranc ligament in the fourth quarter. Departing with his left foot in a walking boot, Corral’s rookie year ended on injured reserve before it could begin.

But by 4 p.m. ET Tuesday, Corral had made Carolina’s initial 53-man roster as part of a quarterback room featuring No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young and veteran Andy Dalton. He went 28-of-47 passing for 249 yards with one interception during his 2023 preseason audition before reaching the NFL transaction wire.

The chance to be retained on the practice squad never arrived. The chance to be the developmental second option under offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien did instead.

The Patriots had placed Zappe, the incumbent backup, as well as versatile undrafted rookie Malik Cunningham on waivers in advance of the cutdown. The measured risk saw both quarterbacks go through unclaimed by 12 p.m. ET Wednesday before signing to the practice squad at its formation. Standard elevations may follow.

Behind the third-year Jones, they are now joined by Corral, whose rookie contract runs through 2025 with upcoming base salaries of $870,000, $985,000 and $1.1 million, according to OverTheCap.com.

New England created an opening on the active roster Thursday by officially placing wide receiver Tyquan Thornton on injured reserve for the first four weeks of the regular season.

The Philadelphia Eagles visit Gillette Stadium for the opener on Sept. 10. Kickoff is set for 4:25 p.m. ET.