Pats adjust for life without Brady
It’s next man up for the New England Patriots, but only temporarily.
Coach Bill Belichick addressed reporters Wednesday as veteran players arrived for training camp in Foxborough, Mass.
In an unsurprising statement, he said the team is focused on getting backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo prepared for the first four games of the regular season while two-time MVP Tom Brady serves his Deflategate suspension.
But Belichick also made it crystal clear that no Drew Bledsoe scenario will arise, and Brady will be back under centre when he’s eligible to play no matter how well Garoppolo performs in the interim.
“We have finally some definition with Tom’s situation, so our priority now then is to get Jimmy ready for the start of the season, for the Arizona game, so that’ll be obviously a comprehensive process,” said Belichick.
“Tom will return as the starting quarterback when he comes back.”
Brady dropped his legal fight of the four-game suspension earlier this month once it became clear only the Supreme Court could reverse it on appeal. He has not missed a regularseason start since 2008, when a torn knee ligament on opening day cost him 15 games. Otherwise, he’s played every meaningful game the Patriots have had since he replaced injured Bledsoe early in the 2001 season, which ended with a Super Bowl.
Garoppolo, entering his third season, has only appeared for mop-up
“Our priority is to get Jimmy ready. (But) Tom will return as the starting quarterback when he comes back.” PATS COACH BILL BELICHICK
duty in 11 NFL appearances. Half of his 20 career completions came in a meaningless Week 17 game in 2014. His lone touchdown pass occurred earlier that season on a night when New England was blown out 41-14.
Naturally, Belichick offered no insight as to how the offence might operate differently with Garoppolo, if at all. But he did praise Garoppolo’s improvement and work ethic.
Also getting camp snaps will be rookie Jacoby Brissett, a promising third-round pick from NC State.
“I think we have a good situation,” said Belichick of the quarterback depth chart. “We have three players we want to work with. Look, in some other years I’ve seen teams that probably don’t feel like they have anybody, or maybe they have one. I think we’re in a good situation.”
The Patriots face a daunting task in Week 1, opening against the defending NFC West champion Arizona Cardinals on Sunday Night Football.
But New England will play its next three games at home, where the Pats are 26-2 since 2013. Their opponents will be the Miami Dolphins, the Houston Texans, who likely won’t have J.J. Watt and are 0-3 at Gillette Stadium; and the Buffalo Bills.
Brady is scheduled to return Oct. 9 when the Patriots face the Browns in Cleveland.