Veteran Patriots QB Reunites With Josh McDaniels

Getty Former New England Patriots coach Josh McDaniels will be reuniting with Brian Hoyer

A long-time New England Patriots quarterback will be reuniting with Josh McDaniels after signing with the Las Vegas Raiders.

The Raiders announced on Tuesday that they had signed Brian Hoyer to a two-year deal. Las Vegas will be the eighth team that Hoyer has played for.

The 15-year veteran has played for the Patriots in three different stints. While playing in 30 games for New England, Hoyer only gained two starts. The quarterback threw for 729 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions per Pro Football Reference.

With Hoyer no longer on the roster and having signed with the Raiders, Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe are the only quarterbacks on New England’s roster.

Brian Hoyer Wasn’t Happy With the New England Patriots

Hoyer along with  Jones was confused by New England’s offense in 2022. NBC Sports Boston’s Tom E. Curran reported that Hoyer wasn’t impressed by the likes of Joe Judge and Matt Patricia leading the offense.

“Brian Hoyer was not sold on what was going on last year, and I think he let that be known — that Mac was up against it on a weekly basis,” Curran said on WEEI. “And I think that’s a large portion of why Hoyer’s not here. The Patriots would tell you otherwise, but they’re paying him $1.4 million to not be here and not be part of the system. Even through training camp, release him in August – you could use him for this offseason. Nope. Thanks. We’re all set with you. It’s interesting.”

While Hoyer has ended up in Las Vegas, Curran stated that the quarterback expected to be back in New England. But Hoyer was released by the Patriots and now he will spend 2023 with the Raiders.

New Report Casts Doubt on Rumors of New England Patriots Wanting to Trade Mac Jones

On Tuesday, a report from Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio stated that Bill Belichick has shopped Jones in trade talks.

“The full list of potential destinations isn’t known,” Florio reported. “The teams mentioned as potential destinations were the Raiders, Texans, Buccaneers and Commanders.

“A team hoping to draft a quarterback could pivot to Jones, if that team doesn’t get the guy it wants,” Florio added. “The Raiders are the ones to keep watching. Jimmy Garoppolo’s contract lands in the low-end of middle class for starters, and Jones has two years left under a slotted rookie deal, before his fifth-year option would apply.”

But later that day, MassLive’s Mark Daniels reported that trade talks for Jones haven’t occurred.

“The notion that Belichick would trade Jones after a down season doesn’t make sense unless a team is willing to send the Patriots a better-than-expected return,” Daniels reported. “Although there is some friction there between the head coach and quarterback, a potential trade would not only be surprising to me — but several sources around the NFL I spoke with this afternoon.

“One NFL source said they hadn’t heard anything about the Patriots shopping Jones to any team this offseason, adding, ‘That’s news to me.’ A second NFL source said the Patriots haven’t contacted the Buccaneers about Jones, saying his name ‘has never come up’ this offseason,” Daniels added. “A third NFL source said the Patriots have not contacted the Raiders about a trade involving Jones, either.”