FOXBORO, Mass. — When each New England Patriots training camp practice ends, Jacoby Brissett typically remains on the field, working through various drills with various coaches and teammates.
It’s similar to the post-practice routines of most Patriots players, the majority of whom stick around for at least a bit of extra work after the full-team session wraps up.
None of them, however, end their routines the way Brissett does each day — by carrying the shoulder pads of fellow quarterbacks Tom Brady and Jimmy Garoppolo off the practice field and into the Gillette Stadium locker room.
“That’s my job as of lately,” the rookie QB said with a smile after Thursday’s practice. “… It’s part of the rookie process.”
Barring an injury to Garoppolo, Brissett has zero chance of beginning his first NFL season as the Patriots’ Week 1 starter. Head coach Bill Belichick confirmed that on Day 1 of training camp, announcing Garoppolo would take the ball to begin the season and Brady would regain his starting job once his four-game Deflategate suspension is up.
Brissett’s job during training camp and the preseason, then, is simply to learn and soak in as much of the offense as he can as he makes the transition from college ball to the pros.
Seven days into camp, with the New Orleans Saints set to visit next week for a round of joint practices, that remains an ongoing process for the third-round draft pick.
“This is my first time doing this,” he said, “so I’m still getting used to it.”
Brissett completed 6 of 11 passes in 11-on-11 drills Thursday after going 5-for-6 in 11-on-11s and 8-for-12 overall on Wednesday. The Patriots have three more traditional training camp practices and two joint sessions with New Orleans scheduled before their preseason opener next Thursday at Gillette Stadium.
“I’m still learning,” Brissett said. “Getting ready to go into my first NFL game, so it’s still an ongoing process of learning and trying to catch up to the older guys.”
Thumbnail photo via Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports Images
