Patriots Tabbed ‘Landing Spot’ for Reunion With Ex-Quarterback

Getty Ex-Patriots Jacoby Brissett

It’s unlikely we’re going to see ex-Patriots Jacoby Brissett suddenly vault back into the ranks of NFL starters any time soon, but if there was one thing that was obvious over the course of last year—for the Patriots and the rest of the NFL—it’s that quarterback depth is a must. And Brissett is as good as a team will find on the backup market.

If the Patriots do decide to ease their way into a rookie quarterback by choosing one with the No. 3 pick in the upcoming NFL draft, then Brissett could make sense as a stopgap starter to make sure the new guy, whomever he may be, is ready.

In eight NFL seasons, Brissett has started only 48 games, including two during an injury-riddled 2016 season with the Patriots. Brissett helped win one game coming on in relief of Jimmy Garoppolo, then went 1-1 in his two starts for the Pats that year. Since then, he has had two seasons, in Indianapolis, in which he came in as the starter, and one (in Cleveland in 2022) in which he started the bulk of the games because of injury.

Plenty of Patriots Jacoby Brissett Connections

At Pro Football Focus last week, the Patriots were tabbed as a top “potential landing spot” for Brissett in free agency. Brissett is 31 years old, and for New England, the less he plays, the better—either the Pats will have a higher-ranked free agent ahead of him or their rookie will be ready to play.

Not only does Brissett have longstanding connections with the Patriots, but he was with new offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt in Cleveland, too.

As PFF wrote: “Brissett once again played good football in 2023 after an underrated strong 2022 campaign over the first 11 games for the Cleveland Browns, stepping up in Week 15 and earning a 92.0 PFF grade with 124 passing yards and two touchdowns on just ten passing attempts. It was unfortunate Brissett got hurt in Week 16 as it appeared he may have been the starter the rest of the way in Washington. …

“In New England, Brissett of course has a ton of connections, and he could serve as a great bridge to the future in the place where he got his career started.”

$6.5 Million Projected Contract

Brissett is likely to come cheap as quarterbacks go, though on the more expensive side for a backup. But the Patriots have money to spend this offseason, and if they do go with a rookie quarterback on a scale contract, they will save immensely on the position relative to other teams.

PFF projects Brissett to warrant a contract worth $6.5 million for one year, after he had a cap hit of $8.5 million in Washington last season.

The Patriots will have more than $65 million in cap space this offseason, and they’re planning to return to competitiveness sooner rather than later after last year’s 4-13 debacle. Speaking on the Greg Hill Show on WEEI in Boston earlier this month, Mayo said the team intends to “burn some cash” to bring in talent.

It won’t take a lot to be burnt on Brissett, but it could be a very wise investment.