Don’t overthink it, New England Patriots fans. Your team is gonna draft a quarterback.
That much became clear Monday night, when the Patriots reportedly agreed to free agent contract with veteran QB Jacoby Brissett. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler was the first to report news of the Brissett deal, which shouldn’t have surprised Patriots fans.
Jacoby Brissett Contract Details
Brissett’s deal is for one year and $8 million, according to NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero. The contract carries a max value of $12 million with incentives.
Multiple reports in recent weeks indicated New England would show interest in Brissett, who was drafted by the Patriots in 2016 and has developed into one of the more capable backups in the NFL. Brissett has plenty of starting experience, with 48 starts (18-30 record) over eight seasons.
Brissett made 11 starts for the Cleveland Browns in 2022 when his offensive coordinator was new Patriots OC Alex Van Pelt. The 31-year-old Brissett served as the Washington Commanders’ primary backup in 2023 and didn’t make any starts.
In this scenario, the tea leaves don’t require an especially close reading. The Patriots have added an experienced quarterback who won’t complain if he’s the backup but will give them a chance to win if a rookie isn’t ready to start right away.
What Does Adding Jacoby Brissett Mean for Patriots’ QB Plans?
New England now is in the post-Mac Jones era, as the embattled fourth-year pro reportedly will be traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars this week. And fan favorite Bailey Zappe might not be far behind, as it’s hard to imagine he’ll be on board with being a third-stringer.
However, this is all about the Patriots quarterback who won’t be on the roster until two months from now.
New England owns the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Multiple reports suggest the franchise plans to use the pick on a quarterback. The Patriots met with Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Jayden Daniels at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine, and reportedly were impressed with all three.
They own a top-three pick in a year that features one of the best QB draft classes in recent memory. This isn’t hard.
Of course, the Patriots will have other options. They could leverage the pick by trading down and selecting one of the top receiver or tackle prospects. They then could use some of their extra assets to trade back into the back half of the first round and select Michael Penix Jr. or something.
Hell, they even could shock the world and draft J.J. McCarthy at third overall.
But all roads lead to the Patriots taking a quarterback early in the draft and pairing him with Brissett. It’s inevitable.
Jacoby Brissett Signing Caps Busy Few Days for Patriots
As of late Monday night, these were New England’s reported deals with internal and external free agents:
- QB Jacoby Brissett (one year, $8 million)
- OL Mike Onwenu (three years, $57 million)
- RB Antonio Gibson (three years, $11.25 million)
- WR Kendrick Bourne (three years, $33 million)
- OT Chukwuma Okorafor (one year, $4 million)
- TE Hunter Henry (three years, $30 million)
- LB Sione Takitaki (two years, $10 million)
- WR Jalen Reagor (re-signed for unknown terms)
- QB Nathan Rourke (re-signed for unknown terms)
- DB Alex Austin (re-signed for unknown terms)
- OT Tyrone Wheatley Jr. (re-signed for unknown terms)
The Brissett, Onwenu, Gibson, Reagor, and Takitaki deals all were reported on Monday. So, it was a busy day for a Patriots regime now led by head coach Jerod Mayo and de facto general manager Eliot Wolf.
Few of these signings will generate headlines, but they’re solid moves. Retaining Onwenu, an excellent guard and very good right tackle, was especially important.
KEEP READING: 2024 NFL Top 100 Free Agent Rankings
Forcing Jones to play behind a patchwork offensive line was one of the Patriots’ top failures while trying to develop the 2021 first-rounder. The relentless pressure added up, and Jones eventually saw ghosts. He looked lost before his permanent benching midway through last season.
The Patriots can’t afford to make the same mistake with its next rookie quarterback, who’ll be in New England in just a matter of weeks — with Brissett by his side.
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