Backups come, and they go
The trade of Jimmy Garoppolo to the San Francisco 49ers for a 2018 second-round draft pick is consistent with the Patriots’ recent history when it comes to quarterbacks they have drafted. Most did not work out and some were quickly shipped out. Here are the quarterbacks the Pats have selected in the Tom Brady era and what happened to them.
Player: Rohan Davey Drafted: 2002 4th round (117th overall) out of LSU Skinny: In three years with the Pats, Davey appeared in just seven games and completed 8-of-19 passes for 88 yards and no touchdowns or interceptions. He was released in August 2005.
Player: Kliff Kingsbury Drafted: 2003 6th round (201st overall) out of Texas Tech Skinny: After spending his rookie season on injured reserve with an arm injury, Kingsbury was waived in September 2004. He played in just one NFL game with the New York Jets in 2005, and is currently the head coach at Texas Tech.
Player: Matt Cassel Drafted: 2005 7th round (230th overall) out of USC Skinny: Still in the league with the Tennessee Titans, Cassel spent four years in Foxboro. In 2008, his last season with the Pats, he started 15 games and led the team to an 11-5 record after Brady suffered a season-ending injury in the season opener. The Pats traded Cassel and Mike Vrabel to the Kansas City Chiefs for a 2009 secondround pick that became safety Patrick Chung.
Player: Kevin O’Connell Drafted: 2008 3rd round (94th overall) out of San Diego St. Skinny: O’Connell appeared in just two NFL games in his career, both with the Patriots in 2008. He was waived in August 2009.
Player: Zac Robinson Drafted: 2010 7th round (250th overall) out of Oklahoma St. Skinny: Released by the Pats in September of the same year he was drafted, Robinson never appeared in an NFL game.
Player: Ryan Mallett Drafted: 2011 3rd round (74th overall) out of Arkansas Skinny: Mallett served as the third-stringer his rookie season behind Brady and Brian Hoyer before the Pats released the latter prior to the 2012 season. Mallett served the next two seasons as Brady’s primary backup before he was traded to the Houston Texans in 2014 for a 2016 seventh-round draft pick.
Player: Jimmy Garoppolo Drafted: 2014 2nd round (62nd overall) out of Eastern Illinois Skinny: Garoppolo shined in the first two starts of his career last season filling in for the Deflategate-suspended Brady. Garoppolo completed 63-of-94 passes for 690 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions.
Player: Jacoby Brissett Drafted: 2016 3rd round (91st overall) out of NC State Skinny: When Garoppolo was injured in the second game of last season, Brissett started twice and helped lead the team to a victory over the Houston Texans at Gillette Stadium. The Pats traded Brissett to the Indianapolis Colts for wide receiver Phillip Dorsett at the beginning of September.