New England Patriots: Jarrett Stidham takes Brian Hoyer’s job
The New England Patriots are going with two quarterbacks on their 53-man roster. Jarrett Stidham won the job of backing up Tom Brady.
The New England Patriots seem to have unearthed another gem at the quarterback position with fourth-round pick Jarrett Stidham, who not only made their 53-man roster but took Brian Hoyer’s job.
Stidham, the former Auburn Tigers quarterback, had a stellar preseason for the Patriots completing 61-of-90 passes (67.8 percent) with 731 yards, four touchdowns, and just one interception.
Stidham was known for his ability to operate an offense well coming out of Auburn, and has plenty of experience with pro-style concepts, but many scouts and NFL Draft analysts felt like he lacked elite traits, which is why he fell to day three of the NFL Draft.
The Patriots have had some success finding quarterbacks beyond the first day of the draft.
#Patriots are releasing QB Brian Hoyer.
— Adam Caplan (@caplannfl) August 31, 2019
Hoyer’s base salary of $1.51 million and roster bonus of $200,000 were already guaranteed and his $1.71 million cap hit will count against their 2019 books.
You don’t often see a player of Hoyer’s experience and caliber with that amount of money guaranteed just let go, especially on a team whose only alternative is a rookie quarterback.
With that said, the Patriots clearly have faith in Stidham, and he made good on their fourth-round investment by playing some really solid football in four preseason games.
Stidham showed poise, accuracy, touch, and some nice arm strength with the Patriots this offseason, and he’s been rewarded with not only a roster spot, but a great responsibility.
Hoyer, on the other hand, will likely be a pretty highly sought after backup. The Denver Broncos released Kevin Hogan, so they’re in the market for a short-term backup while Drew Lock recovers.
The Indianapolis Colts have only Chad Kelly behind Jacoby Brissett. Teams like the Vikings and Jaguars could be looking for upgrades at the backup spot.
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Hoyer will have options, but this is all about how well Stidham played and the fact that he will now be just one play away from regular season action with the Super Bowl champs.