The New England Patriots only had one quarterback at the team’s rookie minicamp over the weekend. That was just fine with that one signal-caller, seventh-round rookie Behren Morton.
Being the only quarterback allowed Morton plenty of opportunities at the camp. On Saturday, Patriots.com’s Evan Lazar wrote the seventh-rounder left a positive first impression.
In front of reporters Friday, Morton addressed then addressed his early takeaways from rookie minicamp.
“It’s great. A lot of reps, which is really beneficial right now,” Morton said. “When we start Monday, reps will go down. But learning from Tom Brady and the guys who have played in this offense, it’s really cool to see, the film that I get to watch. A lot of cool stuff in this offense. I’m really excited to learn it.
“I’m just trying to maximize my opportunity every day, study my the playbook, and then operate it when we get on the practice field.
The Patriots picked Morton at No. 234 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft. Morton was the first of three seventh-round selections New England made on Day 3 of the draft.
Patriots QB Behren Morton Provides Positive First Impression at Rookie Minicamp
Fans should keep in mind any rookie minicamp takeaways, positive or negative, need to be taken with a grain of salt. With that in mind, Lazar stopped short of suggesting Morton could be New England’s primary backup quarterback behind Drake Maye this season.
But Morton got off to a good start at the team’s rookie minicamp. That’s obviously a good thing.
“As the lone quarterback at rookie minicamp, Morton got all the reps during team drills and received some 1-on-1 coaching from offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels,” wrote Lazar. “Morton and the passing offense looked sharp in team drills, with Morton connecting on all 12 of his passes.
“He threw with impressive zip between the numbers as he fit the ball into some tighter windows.
“Although it’s way too early to discuss a backup quarterback competition, my first impression of Morton was positive.”
Morton spent five seasons at Texas Tech. During his final college campaign, Morton led the Red Raiders to their first College Football playoff appearance as the No. 4 seed.
In 2025, the Texas Tech quarterback completed 66% of his passes for 2,780 passing yards with 22 touchdowns and only six interceptions. He averaged 8.4 yards per pass.
In 2024, Morton threw for 3,335 passing yards and 27 touchdowns with eight interceptions. He finished his college career with 8,989 passing yards, 71 touchdowns and 28 interceptions.
What Role Morton Could Play for Patriots in 2026
New England only has three quarterbacks on its offseason roster. That means Morton has a pretty clear path to a roster spot this fall.
That’s not typical for seventh-round picks. But Morton getting all the repetitions at Patriots rookie minicamp just confirms New England wants the rookie quarterback to be prepared as possible for the team this season.
Other than Maye and Morton, Tommy DeVito is the other signal caller on New England’s offseason roster.
From a talent standpoint, DeVito is about on the same level as Morton. DeVito entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent.
The former Syracuse quarterback, though, will have an experience advantage over Morton. DeVito owns a 3-5 record as a starter with eight touchdowns and three interceptions. He has also averaged 6.1 yards per pass in the league.
But even if Morton doesn’t compete for the Patriots backup quarterback role, the rookie signal-caller seems pegged for the QB3 job in New England this fall.
Patriots New QB Speaks out on Rookie Minicamp After Strong First Impression