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The New England Patriots are in the middle of a quarterback controversy between rookie Drake May and veteran Jacoby Brissett. Head coach Jerod Mayo has yet to make a decision about which quarterback will start for the team,
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell thought of one way to make New England’s impending quarterbacks decision far easier: trade Brissett. Barnwell compiled a list of veteran players who “could get dealt,” and Brissett was at the top of it. With New England recently trading top pass rusher Matt Judon to the Atlanta Falcons, Barnwell believes the Pats might still be open for business.
“There’s an argument for keeping Brissett to mentor Maye or fill in if the young quarterback isn’t actually ready for prime time, but the Patriots probably aren’t expecting to compete for a playoff spot, something which was reaffirmed by the decision to trade away Judon,” Barnwell wrote on August 26.
“Joe Milton, a rookie sixth-round pick, also has looked good over the past month, albeit while completing 46% of his passes during preseason action; there’s a chance the Patriots would turn to him or go get another backup if they dealt Brissett.”
Barnwell then named the Cleveland Browns as an ideal fit for the current Patriots quarterback, with one caveat.
Bill Barnwell Shares Potential Scenario in Which Cleveland Browns Could Trade for QB Jacoby Brissett
Barnwell believes the Browns would be a good fit for Brissett, but only if Cleveland’s starting QB Deshaun Watson isn’t healthy enough to start the regular season.
“Deshaun Watson continues to battle arm soreness following shoulder surgery, and if he is forced to go on injured reserve, the Browns would find themselves in the market for somebody. General manager Andrew Berry signed Jameis Winston to take over as the team’s primary backup, but bringing in Brissett would give them another option as a high-floor, low-ceiling solution that could fit in with a great defense,” Barnwell wrote, adding:
“Brissett played for the team under Kevin Stefanski two years ago, so he should already be familiar with the offense. It would only make sense if Watson were sidelined indefinitely; but if that happens, Cleveland would have to give a Brissett deal serious thought.”
Brissett’s health could be a factor, as well. The Patriots vet took a hard hit to the shoulder in New England’s final preseason against the Washington Commanders. While it doesn’t appear to be anything serious, it’s still something to monitor with the regular season just over a week away.
Why Cleveland Could Be a Legit Team to Monitor
The Browns, who finished 11-6 last season, made the playoffs in 2023 largely on the strength of their defense, as the team’s QB play has been inconsistent at best.
Watson has been in and out of the lineup over the past two seasons, forcing Cleveland to roll with a laundry list of starters (in 2023 alone, Watson, Joe Flacco, P.J. Walker, Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Jeff Driskel all started games). Still slated to be Cleveland’s starter this season, Watson has not played since November of 2023.
The current Browns QB has been dealing with “general arm soreness” heading into the regular season, and if he has a setback early, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Cleveland looked at Brissett, who is one of the top plug-and-play veteran QBs in the league.
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