Former Patriots CB Asante Samuel David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Two-time Super Bowl champ takes shot at Bill Belichick amid QB controversy

Since the start of training camp, the New England Patriots quarterback room has been in flux. Former All-Pro cornerback Asante Samuel has had enough, throwing some shade at his former head coach, Bill Belichick, amid the chaos.

On Saturday, the Patriots brought back 2022 fourth-round quarterback pick Bailey Zappe, whom they cut only days ago, to replace former third-rounder Matt Corral, who the team placed on the exempt list. After more juggling at QB, Samuel chimed in with his take on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Over the last month or so, several QBs have come and gone from the Patriots roster, including Malik Cunningham, Trace McSorley, Zappe and now Corral. For a time, starter Mac Jones stood alone as the only QB on the Patriots depth chart. The curious moves drew criticism from the outside and apparently, Samuel was also paying attention to the odd way Belichick has handled his QB group.

The in-and-out door at QB has also taken a toll on starter Mac Jones, who is under a scrutinizing microscope. Since the departure of Tom Brady, the relationship between Belichick and Jones has been a hot topic of conversation around NFL circles. Following the 2023 season, Belichick reportedly wasn't happy with how Jones handled himself throughout the year, leading to rumors the Patriots might trade the former first-round pick. Furthermore, before selecting 14th overall in this year's NFL Draft, whispers that the Patriots could choose Jones' replacement also swirled.

Jones is the defacto Patriots starter for now. However, where there's smoke, there's fire, and the 2023 season is likely Jones' last chance to impress. With Belichick seemingly searching high and low for someone to push Jones as a backup, the writing should be on the wall for the former Alabama standout.

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