NFL: Could Jacoby Brissett Become The Patriots' Franchise Quarterback?
UPDATE: On cutdown day, the Patriots traded their touted third-string quarterback for an immediate contributor in wide receiver Phillip Dorsett. So, obviously, the answer is going to be "no." However, Dorsett has been relatively impressive in New England, and Brissett is already starting over Tolzien for the Colts with Luck out. Patriots third-string quarterback Jacoby Brissett has been impressive in New England. Could he be the answer if it isn't Garoppolo?
It seems clear from Jimmy Garoppolo's play that he could be the future in New England's system. However, what if he left? Maybe the team wouldn't be off too bad.
Patriots fans will remember Jimmy Garoppolo's first start: a 17-9 loss to Buffalo in Week 17 of 2014. Garoppolo notched a 73.2 Passer Rating in the game with just 90 yards passing. After just two years of preparation and practice in the team's system, Garoppolo notched a 135.4 Passer Rating with 232 yards and 3 touchdowns in just half a game against the Dolphins. That's a big improvement. Garoppolo showed an ability to be mobile, and improved his field-reading and accuracy greatly in this span. Well, it's very feasible that Jacoby Brissett could do the same thing. Against the Bills, the team Garoppolo also started against earlier, Brissett had a Passer Rating of 86.2 with 205 yards passing. Brissett had 15 weeks less to prepare for the start, and he still finished far better than Garoppolo's first start (neither QB had a passing TD or INT in their respective games vs. Buffalo). The Patriots clearly liked Brissett enough to draft him in the third round, over Mississippi State's Dak Prescott. So, it could be very realistic that even if the Patriots lose Garoppolo, Brissett could be the franchise quarterback for years to come. It'll take time, but maybe, just maybe, Prescott will play second-fiddle from his draft class to another mid-round QB.
Could it happen? Yes. It's not hard to imagine. If Brissett improved from that start by as much as Garoppolo from Buffalo to Miami in 2 years, he could have a near-500 yard game. It's a stretch, but it could happen. Remember, Tom Brady was a sixth-round pick who started because of an injury to Drew Bledsoe, and went on to win at least 5 Super Bowls, get a 16-0 season, and come back from a 28-3 deficit in the Super Bowl. If that's possible, it's very possible that Brissett could become a great NFL quarterback if the team lets Jimmy G walk.
