The New England Patriots have a quarterback decision to make before Sunday’s roster deadline, and a rookie who looked like a strong developmental keep a week ago is on shaky ground.
Pats Pulpit’s Taylor Kyles and Bernd Buchmasser left Behren Morton off their final 53-man roster projection Friday, keeping Drake Maye and Tommy DeVito as the two quarterbacks.
They described Morton, who’s do-it-all play involved both punting duty and QB responsibilities, as a “prime practice squad candidate” while acknowledging that waiving him would have some risk.
The forecast follows a rough preseason finale for Morton, who spent most of August making a reasonable case to stick as New England’s third quarterback.
The Patriots must reduce their roster to 53 players by 6 p.m. ET on Sunday.
Morton’s Rough Finale Changes Tone of Roster Push
Morton entered Thursday’s 37-13 loss in Cleveland on New England’s third offensive series and stayed in for the rest of the game. He completed 18 of 28 passes for 123 yards.
The final stat line doesn’t capture all of the concern. Patriots.com analyst Evan Lazar charted Morton with three turnover-worthy plays against only two positive throws or decisions after reviewing the film.
Morton also threw two interceptions. Afterward, the rookie did not attempt to brush aside the mistakes.
“I gotta be better for sure,” Morton said, adding that he learned plenty from the experience.
It was a sharp turn from the previous weekend.
Against Philadelphia, Morton completed 13 of 17 passes for 129 yards and delivered the game-winning 37-yard touchdown in a 24-21 victory. He also unexpectedly handled punting duties after an injury, averaging 44.3 yards on three attempts.
That performance gave Morton a memorable preseason moment and showed some of the traits that made him worth a seventh-round pick. The Cleveland game surfaced the tough part about being a young quarterback attempting to crack a roster, as decision-making mistakes can pile up quickly when the margin for a roster spot is thin.
Lazar noted Friday that Morton would have to make the 53-man roster to serve as New England’s emergency quarterback on game days.
Patriots’ Quarterback Situation Favors DeVito
The biggest hurdle for Morton may be the roster construction around him.
Maye is the franchise quarterback, and DeVito has operated ahead of Morton throughout the summer. Pats Pulpit’s final projection called Maye and DeVito the clear top two at the position.
DeVito also bolstered his standing in the finale. He went 2-of-4 for 55 yards and a touchdown before Morton entered, including a 45-yard scoring strike on New England’s opening possession.
Keeping three quarterbacks would give the Patriots additional developmental security, but it would also use a roster spot at a time when Vrabel has been candid about the team’s depth.
After the second preseason game, Vrabel said he did not believe New England had “a very deep team.”
The club sat 38 players in the finale, and its backup defense struggled badly in Cleveland, reinforcing the possibility that the Patriots could use final spots on a certain position or on players claimed after cuts.
That leaves Morton in an awkward spot. His Philadelphia performance exemplified enough promise for New England to want him back on the practice squad, even though getting him there would require exposing him to waivers.
Morton’s final preseason outing, however, may have made the Patriots more comfortable taking the chance.
Patriots’ Do-It-All Rookie Projected to Miss 53-Man Roster