NFL rumors: Hoyer reportedly cut, Stidham to be Brady's backup

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When I asked Jarrett Stidham on Thursday night if he'd be comfortable taking over the role of Patriots backup quarterback, he looked a little uncomfortable. He looked like a rookie who didn't want to say the wrong thing. And he didn't.

"I think whatever decision is made, whatever my role is on this team, that's what I'm going to do," he said. "Whatever it is, I'm going to continue to work as hard as I possibly can to do that and to help the team in whatever way I can, so that's kind of how I'm looking at it."

Now we know what the Patriots have decided: Stidham earned the backup quarterback gig.

According to Adam Caplan of SiriusXM Radio, the Patriots have released veteran backup Brian Hoyer, clearing the way for the rookie to take on No. 2 duties. In four preseason games, Stidham completed 67.8 percent of his passes for 731 yards (8.1 yards per attempt), four touchdowns and one pick. He was sacked nine times and scrambled for 88 yards on 17 attempts.

As a fourth-round pick coming out of Auburn, Stidham was advertised as a good athlete with as much arm talent as any quarterback in the draft. But he was coming from a program that provided him little protection and didn't feature many pro-style passing concepts.

That Stidham arrived in New England, embraced one of the most complex passing schemes in the league, and showed off the traits that had some thinking after the 2017 season that he might be a first-rounder, has made his summer as impressive as that of any Patriots rookie in recent memory.

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It's clear the Patriots have a player with real upside at the game's most important position, which alone might be worthy of the No. 2 job. In practices, Stidham will have an opportunity to run the scout team and step in for any snaps Brady relinquishes. At 42 years old, that number will likely be greater than it was back in, say, 2014 when the Patriots drafted Jimmy Garoppolo in the second round. That'll mean more opportunity for development for the only Patriots quarterback who is under contract at the moment for 2020.

For Hoyer, it's an abrupt end to his most recent stay in New England. After starting his career in Foxboro in 2009 as an undrafted free agent by beating out backup Kevin O'Connell, Hoyer returned in 2017 after he was released by San Fran and the Niners traded for Garoppolo. 

It had been a solid summer for the 33-year-old, who completed 18 of his 22 attempts (81.8 percent) in preseason action for 202 yards (9.2 yards per attempt), two touchdowns and one pick. And there was an argument to be made that if Brady were to miss some time early this season, he'd give the Patriots the best opportunity to win a couple of games than the rookie.

But the Patriots have made their decision. And their decision indicates that even if Stidham had to step in for Brady at some point this year, they'd be confident that his athleticism and his arm would be able to keep them afloat while the Bill Belichick's defense and running game shoulder a greater load.

But this decision isn't all about 2019. It's about the promise Stidham has shown, the relative uncertainty of the future at the position in New England, and the value of 53-man roster spots -- which in Belichick's mind are significant enough that he parted with a capable veteran Saturday to invest in a 23-year-old insurance policy.

Tom E. Curran and I discuss Stidham's emergence in the new Quick Slants Podcast. Listen here:  

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