With Jimmy Garoppolo’s status in question for Week 3 after he suffered a sprained AC joint in his throwing shoulder Sunday against the Miami Dolphins, rookie Jacoby Brissett could be starting at quarterback for the New England Patriots against the Houston Texans on Thursday Night Football.
In a radio interview Monday, suspended quarterback Tom Brady praised the third-round pick from North Carolina State.
Via Mike Reiss of ESPN.com:
“Jacoby has done a great job taking advantage of his opportunity as well,” Brady told Westwood One radio prior to Monday Night Football. “He went in there [Sunday] and showed a lot of poise. He has a great demeanor about him. I love working with him. He shows up to work every day working hard. He’s very competitive, and I know our coaching staff will have him prepared and ready to go for Thursday night if he’s called upon.”
With Brady suspended and Garoppolo injured, the Patriots do not have a fourth quarterback on the roster. Brady expects receiver Julian Edelman to be the emergency quarterback this week.
“He’s played the position and, God forbid anything happened to Jacoby, if he’s the only guy out there at quarterback, if that’s the case, then I’d expect Julian to go in there and the coaches to be comfortable with the plays that they’re calling for him.”
“He still talks about that touchdown pass he threw against Baltimore [in the playoffs] a few years ago. He’s kind of batting 1.000 right now,” Brady said.
Edelman played quarterback at Kent State, where he threw for 4,997 yards, 30 touchdowns and 31 interceptions, and rushed for 2,483 yards and 22 touchdowns in three seasons. He switched to receiver after the Patriots selected him in the seventh round of the 2009 draft.
Meanwhile, coach Bill Belichick was reluctant to say if Edelman would be the backup quarterback this week.
Bill Belichick press conference transcripts are my favorite thing in the world. pic.twitter.com/sLM02Tw18y
— Will Brinson (@WillBrinson) September 20, 2016
Unless Garoppolo is a fast healer, it should be Brissett starting this week. Who backs him up is still to be determined.
