Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

The Patriots signed a familiar face in March to mentor the young quarterback they were going to be drafting in April’s draft. Veteran Jacoby Brissett signed a one year, $8 million dollar deal to be a bridge starter and to help develop the next franchise quarterback. 

The team was familiar with the well traveled signal caller. The Patriots drafted Brissett in the third round of the 2016 draft out of North Carolina State. 

Brissett played in three games as a rookie for the Patriots, starting two of them during Tom Brady’s deflatgate suspension. He was eventually traded to the Indianapolis Colts for wide receiver Phillip Dorsett.

Brissett played three years in Indianapolis and at one point was even considered the heir apparent to Andrew Luck after Luck unexpectedly retired in 2019. It didn’t work out and from 2020 to this off-season, Brissett has played for three different organizations in the Browns, Commanders and the Patriots again. 

Now Brissett gets one more shot at being a starter and while it will not be a long term opportunity, Brissett has a chance to make an impact with the Patriots. 

Brissett welcomes the opportunity and he acknowledged in May that regardless of what his perceived role might be, he welcomes the opportunity to compete for the starting quarterback job. 

“Honestly, everybody wants to be the guy. Everybody’s competing to be the guy. That’s what you want. If none of us wanted to play, then our room would be messed up.”

Despite his desire to be the starter, Brissett has also embraced working with rookie quarterback Drake Maye. Brissett said during OTA’s that Maye is already using him as a resource. 

“He’s already texting me about plays and how I think about things and cadence, all the little nuances of being in this position at this level.”

Brissett’s knowledge of Alex Van Pelt’s offense from their time together in Cleveland will prove to be invaluable for both Maye and the rest of the offense. Helping his teammates understand verbiage and the different concepts is going to be a big part of his job. 

Now Brissett will be counted on to pass on his knowledge to his teammates. It is part of the delicate balance that he must find between competing for the starting job and mentoring a young quarterback. 

It is not easy but the 31 year old Brissett has proven he has what it takes to make it work. He will do what is best for the team.