As the Patriots honored their greatest quarterback Sunday, another QB was absent.
The team placed Matt Corral on the exempt/left squad list on Saturday, just nine days after he signed with New England. The 2022 third-round pick had previously been waived by the Panthers earlier in the preseason, and was subsequently signed by Bill Belichick.
Corral seemingly had the inside track to the No. 2 spot on the QB depth chart, and would have been set to serve as starter Mac Jones' backup on Sunday in the Week 1 season opener against the Eagles. However, now he will not be available for the contest.
The Ole Miss product's future with the team is now cloudy, as the unusual circumstances of his absence leaves more questions unanswered than known.
MORE: Most notable NFL roster cuts from 2023 deadline
Here is the latest on Corral and his status with the Patriots:
What happened to Matt Corral?
Corral was placed on New England's exempt/left squad list on Saturday. He remains a part of the organization, but is not on the 53-man roster.
Boston Sports Journal's Greg Bedard reported that Corral disappeared after Thursday's practice and "no one could find him for two days."
The QB was not seen during Friday's practice sessions, and listed as out for non-injury reasons.
QB Matt Corral left the Patriots without notice, according to a source.
— Doug Kyed (@DougKyed) September 9, 2023
Explains the "not injury related" tag on the practice report Friday and his placement on the exempt/left squad list today.
Coach Bill Belichick said Monday morning on WEEI radio that the team has been in contact with Corral but declined to elaborate.
"He's in exempt status," Belichick said, per the Boston Herald. "I don't have any comment on it. That's a personal matter."
Corral has been open about his struggles with mental health in the past. Before the 2022 NFL Draft, the QB discussed his battle with depression before the 2019 season, his first year as the starter at Ole Miss, in a Yahoo Sports story.
What is the exempt/left squad list?
The exempt/left squad list is used for players who are not physically with the team.
By placing a player on this specific list, it takes them off the 53-man roster, opening a spot for someone else; however, teams are not required to release said player.
Corral can return to the team at any time while he is on the exempt/left squad list, and is not eligible for any other team to sign him.
Patriots QB depth chart
Below is a look at the Patriots' quarterback depth chart as it is currently constructed:
| Rank | Player |
| 1 | Mac Jones |
| 2 | Bailey Zappe |
| 3 | Malik Cunningham (practice squad) |
| 4 | Matt Corral (exempt/left squad list) |
Mac Jones is the clear-cut starter. The third-year QB out of Alabama has the chance to once again lead the Patriots' offense, this time with a new offensive coordinator in Bill O'Brien.
Corral seemingly was in line to be the backup to Jones, as New England previously waived both Bailey Zappe and Malik Cunningham and signed the pair to the practice squad.
However, with Corral's removal from the 53-man roster, Zappe was added and was the backup to Jones on Sunday. Zappe was Jones' backup for a majority of 2022, and received two starts when Jones was injured.
