Jacoby Brissett and Patriots headed to a reunion?

There has been nothing but speculation about the Patriots and Tom Brady up to this point. While most everyone knew he would at least feel out free agency I don't think anyone knew how much stock we needed to put in the thought that he would actually leave. However the time has come. After 2 decades of Brady donning a Patriots jersey, the two parties will be moving on, and while we know the race for Brady is down to two teams, (three if you believe Miami to be a wildcard), but there hasn't been much word on who the now Brady-less Patriots would target. There were whispers of Teddy Bridgewater but the Panthers swooped in and signed him to replace Cam Newton who will be shipped out of town. 

My question is why not target a familiar face? No not Jimmy Garrappolo although I think he could have been available, I believe the more likely qb to target is Jacoby Brissett. The Colts are rumored to be finalizing a deal with Phillip Rivers. Which means Brissett has suddenly become expendable. Brissett was a third round pick by New England in 2016. It was a move I thought I understood at the time. The Patriots were facing another impasse at the qb situation but not one quite as dramatic as 2020's reset. The Patriots were deciding whether to move on from Brady, and keep Garrappolo or let Garrappolo leave the following offseason via free agency. I was under the impression Brissett was brought in to be the next heir apparent to Brady or the backup to Garrappolo depending on which direction they went at the position. Brissett ultimately did serve as the backup to Garrappolo during a 4 game stretch in which Brady was suspended. Brissett went on to start a game and play well as a rookie. 

Then in 2017 the Patriots held a fire sale on their backup qbs. First they traded away Brissett the same guy they drafted just the year before to Indy in exchange for Phillip Dorsett. A move that I personally didn't understand at all at the time. I get Indy needed a qb, but in my mind Dorsett was a struggling player, not an ascending one, the Colts should have been asked for a draft pick and Dorsett, or simply a 2nd round draft pick. At that point Brissett still was under team control for 3 years, and Garrappolo was on his way out via his own trade just weeks later as well. Ultimately Garrappolo was traded for a second round pick to San Francisco in a bid by Belicheck to avoid having to play Garrappolo by shipping him to the Browns who had reportedly offered a better deal.

However here we are three years later, and the Patriots have just Jarrett Stidham and Cody Kessler on their depth chart. While Kessler started a bunch for Cleveland he is not viewed as anything more than a backup, and maybe even your third string qb at that. With Brady gone, their first reported Target Bridgewater now locked up in Carolina, and the rumor of an impending deal for Rivers in Indy, I think you call up Frank Reich and tell him you will give him a 3rd round pick for Brissett. Brissett is being replaced in Indy but doesn't have a terrible contract and could be kept still. His value is still solid because of his youth, and experience. In his four years in the league he has started 32 and played in 38, he completed just under 60% of his passes for 6,442 yards 31 tds, 13 ints, adding 142 carries for 564 yards and 9 more tds, but also has fumbled 9 times. 

Obviously the Patriots have immense confidence in Josh McDaniels and his ability to develop qbs and take their game to the next level. Why not give up a mid round pick, bring in the 27 year old Brissett who would cost the Pats just over $20 million for a one year rental, or they could try and sign him to another extension. The Colts in turn gain a 3rd round pick in exchange for a guy they were moving on from, and save themselves a $8,750,000 roster bonus paid on March 22nd. Giving them the ability to find some weapons for Rivers. Maybe a Rivers and Melvin Gordon reunion is in the works. 

This trade is a classic win win scenario, The Patriots get their hands on an experienced qb that has 32 starts under his belt, he is still just 27 years old and would give them an option with some mobility which could help out an offense in transition after losing Brady. The more important factor here is Brissett is familiar with some of the players, and the scheme meaning the transition to him as the starter would be much more smooth than to most other qbs not named Brady or Garrappolo. This is especially important knowing that OTA's have been cancelled due to the virus and that could only be the beginning of what could be a dramatically shortened offseason.