Barring something unforeseen, second-year quarterback Jarrett Stidham will be the Patriots' starting quarterback next season.
The Patriots' move to secure veteran Brian Hoyer's services for 2020 season represents the extent of the team's staffing at the position, barring an unexpected deal or trade up in the draft, according to a league source.
However, according to another NFL source, Hoyer will be given a chance to compete for the starting job with Stidham. But the fourth-round pick out of Auburn (133rd overall) is expected to have every opportunity to win the starting spot that's vacant for the first time in 20 years after Tom Brady's departure for the Buccaneers.
So nothing has really changed from what I was previously told by team sources about Stidham: "Certainly, for where he was drafted, Stidham had an impressive rookie season from camp and preseason, to the work he did behind the scenes. But I don’t get the sense the team is all aboard the Stidham train should things go south with Brady. Do they think they could win with him? Sure, as a part-timer. But the feeling is very similar to what they had with Jimmy Garoppolo at this stage — he really needs another season to be considered a legitimate NFL starter. So there will be other quarterbacks who can start that are seriously considered."
Make no mistake, Plan A was Brady's return. But this is where they are without much cap room — which could change with a trade for Joe Thuney, if they can find compensation worth more than an eventual compensatory pick.
Cody Kessler, a third-round pick of the Browns in 2016 (93rd overall), spent most of last season as the scout team quarterback. He's still on the roster.
(Adam Richins for BSJ)
Hoyer received some sought-after stability in the form of a three-year contract that would pay him a total of $4.41 million. Hoyer could have received more money elsewhere, but what he really wanted, with a young family, was a place to settle down and put down some roots. He figured his $2.85-million salary in the third year — and the $1.5 million guarantee ($200,000 of which had already been paid) — did that.
He was wrong. The 34-year-old quarterback, who is set to make his first start for the Colts on Sunday against the Dolphins in place of injured starter — and former Patriots QB — Jacoby Brissett, told BostonSportsJournal.com it was “a shock” to be released by the Patriots in favor of rookie Jarrett Stidham. He also explained the chatter behind the scenes that nearly resulted in his return to New England.
“The end with the Patriots … it is what it is,” Hoyer said. “I didn’t think (getting released) was even a possibility … It was disappointing to me and it was kind of a shock. I know the media played it up like it was going to happen, but from the inside, I never once felt that it was going to happen.”
Hoyer said Bill Belichick told him his release was just a number’s game, and that they would like to sign him back in a week or two. The Patriots’ decision to twice add veteran journeyman Cody Kessler to the quarterback room is further proof the team wanted another quarterback around.
“I think (his place on the roster) was kind of evident when they said, ‘Hey, it’s a roster situation and we’d like to have you back whether it’s a week or two weeks,'” Hoyer said.
The problem was, the Colts were one of several teams to immediately reach out to Hoyer. Reeling from the retirement of Andrew Luck, Indianapolis offered Hoyer a three-year contract worth up to $12 million (his contract is cuttable after this season). Despite the fact that the Patriots said they’d come calling, Hoyer felt the Colts offered an opportunity that was too good to pass up.
“I didn’t think that I could wait around a week or two,” Hoyer explained. “It was a great opportunity and a great offer that I didn’t really think that I could pass up, not knowing what the situation would be when I went back to New England.
“It was something that I thought was the best option for me and my family at the time and even though you don’t want to uproot your family, I remember telling my agent, ‘I’m not going to a bad situation no matter what the money is,’ and when the opportunity to come here, you obviously hear great things about Frank Reich and Chris Ballard and knowing Jacoby a little bit helped. I knew what he was and what they thought of him. Just to come here and help him as much as I could and, as you saw this past weekend, be ready to play if something happens.”
Brissett suffered an injury to his left knee early in the second quarter of last week’s eventual loss to the Steelers. Hoyer, who teammates said hadn’t prepared for the game and was chiefly running the scout team leading up to the game in Pittsburgh, completed 17 of 26 passes (65.4 percent) for 168 yards with three touchdowns against one pick-six, for a passer rating of 105.9.
“When you look back at the tape Brian played pretty well. He played really well, in fact,” Reich said this week. “Obviously, the pick-six was the kind of big blemish on the ‘scorecard.’ But I think the reason is he has played a lot of football (is) he is really a smart player. He has really assimilated well to the offense.”