Getty Bill Belichick, New England Patriots coach
The problems with the Patriots clearly go far beyond quarterback Mac Jones, though he is the one player who takes the brunt of the criticism when it comes to the team’s struggles at 1-5. And in the end, who will be the next quarterback for the Patriots is the question that will get the most attention in the coming weeks and months.
Maybe it’s Jones. Increasingly, that looks like it won’t be in the cards for the Patriots, no matter how badly coach Bill Belichick wants it to be so. Jones appears as concerned about his NFL future as the Patriots are, and a split after this year would give him a chance to land with an organization that puts a bit more emphasis on offensive weapons.
Maybe it is someone in the NFL draft. Whomever it is, the Patriots will need a more legitimate No. 2 on the roster than the characters they’ve put forth thus far, a QB2 the team would feel comfortable with making the starter if things don’t work out for QB1.
With that in mind, Bleacher Report had an option for the Patriots this week that was an eye-opener: Why not bring back a former New England signal-caller, Jacoby Brissett? He will be a free agent next offseason and B/R says a “reunion” with the Patriots should happen.
Could the Patriots target Jacoby Brissett as a No. 2 Quarterback?
Heck, the Patriots need to sort out their quarterback situation badly enough that they probably should could check on Jacoby Brissett’s availability now, with the Commanders an early surprise at 3-3 and perhaps looking to pluck some of the Patriots’ available talent ahead of the NFL trade deadline.
Brissett, of course, was with the Patriots to start his career. He was a third-round pick back in 2016, at a time when the Patriots were already thinking about their post-Tom Brady plans. Brisset started two games as a rookie and went 1-1 in those games, and wound up the season with 400 yards passing, completing 34 passes on 55 attempts.
The Patriots traded him after his rookie year for receiver Phillip Dorsett.
Here’s the pitch B/R made for the Patriots to go after Brissett, who went 4-7 as the starter in Cleveland last year:
“Jacoby Brissett remains one of the best backup quarterbacks in the league. Sam Howell has played well enough to stave him off in Washington, but he played well as the starter for the Browns last season until Deshaun Watson made his debut. The Patriots originally drafted Brissett in 2016. A reunion may be in order.
Backup QB an Issue for Patriots
An acquisition of Brissett would likely be either a stopgap-starter or pure backup Patriots quarterback situation, as Brissett turns 31 in December. If the Patriots continue to slide in the standings and wind up landing either Drake Maye or Caleb Williams in the NFL draft, they’ll want a quality backup who can be a starter if need be.
Brissett has some familiarity with the Patriots’ system (assuming Bill Belichick is still the coach, at least) and has earned a very good reputation as a backup.
One of the struggles the Patriots have had, in addition to Jones’ play, has been zeroing in on a reliable No. 2 quarterback. It was presumed that Bailey Zappe would be the backup this year, but after an unimpressive training camp, the Patriots relegated him to the practice squad and signed Matt Corral from Carolina. Corral left the team, though, and the Patriots brought in Will Grier from Dallas.
The Patriots also promoted undrafted rookie Malik Cunningham, a star quarterback at Louisville who has been groomed as a wide receiver, too.
For a Patriots team that has been a mess up and down the roster thus far, quarterback has been among the biggest messes it has.