Patriots' Top Quarterback Inactive for Week 6

It's official: the New England Patriots will be without opening day starting quarterback Mac Jones for a third straight week. Jones is officially inactive for Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns. Rookie quarterback Bailey Zappe will start in his place.

Patriots inactives. pic.twitter.com/iZ4I361zlP
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) October 16, 2022

Jones was listed as questionable on the team's final injury report after logging limited participations in practices all week. Jones has been out since suffering a high-ankle sprain in a Week 3 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Despite the progress in his recovery, rumors emerged late in the week that Zappe was likely to get the nod for at least one more game.

Zappe has played the better part of the two games Jones has missed. He struggled in the Patriots' overtime loss to the Green Bay Packers, but he played well in the team's 29-0 dismantling of the Detroit Lions, throwing for 188 yards on only 21 pass attempts.

Mac Jones heads off the field while Bailey Zappe and Garrett Gilbert stay out for warmups pic.twitter.com/HXhrkS0c7T
— The Camera Guys (@NBCSCameraGuys) October 16, 2022

Jones joined the Patriots as the 15th overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft. He led all rookie quarterbacks in passing yards and touchdowns last year, throwing for 3801 yards and 23 touchdowns. He'd been off to a rough start across the Patriots' first three games, totalling six turnovers and a 76.2 passer rating. Given his performance so far, the team clearly sees no reason to rush him back to the field before he's ready.