Patriots’ Mac Jones to be available for Week 7 game against Bears: report

The New England Patriots are inching closer to having their first-round quarterback under center. 

Mac Jones, who has missed the past three games with a high ankle sprain, is expected to be available for New England’s game against the Chicago Bears on Monday night, according to ESPN.

Rookie Bailey Zappe has started the past two games for the Patriots, winning against the Detroit Lions and the Cleveland Browns. 

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Head coach Bill Belichick declined to get into Jones’ status on Wednesday. 

“Hypotheticals and all that, I’m going to stay away from those,” Belichick said Wednesday, according to ESPN. “We’ll see what we are actually dealing with here as we go forward.”

In his two starts, Zappe has thrown three touchdowns and one interception, completing 41 of 55 passes for 497 yards. 

“Of course, I had a little confidence that I’d be able to make it in myself,” Zappe said this week, according to Boston.com. “But for me it’s still surreal to be in this position and be in the NFL, be a quarterback in the NFL. I don’t think it would ever come to me that I’m playing in the NFL. I still think I’ll always take advantage of every day and live this dream that I’ve had since I was 5.”

Jones injured his ankle in New England’s Week 3 loss to the Baltimore Ravens and was expected to miss two to four weeks. 

Zappe said that Jones has been helpful as he recovers from his ankle sprain, offering advice to the rookie. 

“He’s helped a lot,” Zappe said of Jones. “Of course, he’s been in the league for a whole other year above me. I’ve been able to pick his brain. I’ve been able to ask him questions, and he’s been giving me great feedback answering them. He’s a lot of help.”

Jones struggled out the gate for New England, throwing five interceptions to just two interceptions.