When the Patriots signed Jacoby Brissett in mid-March, the widespread expectation for the veteran quarterback was to be a bridge starter in New England or help develop an incoming rookie quarterback.
Now that we know who Brissett will share a QB room with in Foxboro, Mass., it's not unreasonable to think the 31-year-old could occupy both of those roles in 2024.
The Patriots used the third overall pick in last week's NFL draft on Drake Maye, a talented but raw signal-caller who's in line to be New England's next franchise quarterback. Speaking at an event in Rhode Island on Wednesday, Brissett was asked about Maye and the uncertainty atop the team's QB depth chart.
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"That's all out of my control, so I don't really worry about that," Brissett told ESPN's Mike Reiss. "I'm excited to have him on the team and the other guys, as well, that were drafted and picked up. I think it's going to be good. Competition brings out the best in all of us, so I'm excited about that part."
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Brissett should be viewed as the favorite to be the Patriots' Week 1 starter. Maye's game still needs to be polished quite a bit, and New England might not initially feel comfortable having a first-year player lead a team with so many new faces -- both on the coaching staff and the roster. However, Jerod Mayo and company could leave the door open for Maye to start later in the campaign if he develops quicker than expected.
So, Brissett might be asked to wear a lot of hats in his first season back with New England. But if history tells us anything, the 2016 third-round pick will handle anything thrown his way professionally.
Featured image via Geoff Burke/USA TODAY Sports Images
