(Photo by William Purnell/Icon Sportswire)
The New England Patriots have made some big quarterback decisions this offseason.
The biggest one coming at the NFL Draft a few weeks ago when they drafted North Carolina’s Drake Maye with the No. 3 overall pick.
They also drafted former Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton later on.
New England also brought back veteran back Jacoby Brissett for a second stint.
On Monday, they made another quarterback move by waiving veteran Nathan Rourke, according to reporter Mike Reiss.
The Patriots informed QB Nathan Rourke that he is being waived, per sources.
This thins the QB room to 4 — Jacoby Brissett, Drake Maye, Bailey Zappe and Joe Milton.
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) May 6, 2024
NFL teams usually don’t ever start a season with five quarterbacks on the roster.
The former CFL Most Outstanding Canadian in Rourke was the fifth quarterback on the roster.
Now, head coach Jerod Mayo is going to roll with Maye, Brissett, Milton, and veteran Bailey Zappe.
Time will tell to see if the Pats decide to go with four quarterbacks in the regular season or not.
With Maye being the quarterback of the future, he is untouchable.
The soon-to-be nine-year veteran in Brissett was signed to be a veteran mind that Maye could learn from.
Bailey Zappe has started eight games over the last two seasons as a young player, and he finished with a .500 record.
Then, there is Milton, who simply could be another developmental prospect in New England.
It is hard to say if Mayo would be willing to cut any of those names other than Maye and Brissett.
This is a rebuilding franchise that will need all the help it can get entering 2024.
They have nothing to lose at this point for sure.
BREAKING: New England Patriots Cut Quarterback Amid Tom Brady Return Speculation
Dec 21, 2019; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) takes the field before the start of the game against the Buffalo Bills in the first quarter at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
The New England Patriots trimmed down their quarterback roster ahead of OTA practices this month. The move came after the Patriots drafted two quarterbacks in the 2024 NFL Draft last month. While the Patriots invested in their quarterback room for the long term, Tom Brady’s name has been linked to the team for the 2024 season.
Following the Mac Jones era disaster, the Patriots traded the former first-round pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars. They drafted Drake Maye with the No. 3 pick and Joe Milton in the sixth round. Maye is expected to be the future QB1. However, Brady invited speculation this spring when he said he’d be open to returning.
Tom Brady is open to returning to the NFL
Brady named the Patriots and Las Vegas Raiders as potential teams he’d be interested in playing for if they needed him. On Sunday, during his roast on Netflix, Brady invited more speculation about a potential return when he said he missed football.Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo didn’t outright dismiss a reunion with Brady. Mayo said Brady would have to compete for the QB1 spot in training camp, and the Patriots wouldn’t be interested in adding him late in the regular season as an emergency option.
The New England Patriots cut Nathan Rourke
On Monday, the Patriots made an interesting move to cut a quarterback with the smoke surrounding Brady and New England. According to Mike Reiss with ESPN, the Patriots cut Nathan Rourke. The Patriots claimed Rourke off waivers in December.
Rourke is an undrafted free agent who started playing professional football for the CFL in 2021. He signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars last January.
The Patriots informed QB Nathan Rourke that he is being waived, per sources.
This thins the QB room to 4 — Jacoby Brissett, Drake Maye, Bailey Zappe and Joe Milton.
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) May 6, 2024
The Patriots have four QBs…for now
The Patriots have four quarterbacks heading into the practice portion of OTAs: Jacoby Brissett, Drake Maye, Bailey Zappe, and Joe Milton. That’s a pretty normal number of camp arms to have this time of year.
Per Ian Rapoport with the NFL Network, Zappe is considered a trade target for the Patriots after they drafted Maye and Milton this offseason. Following Rourke’s dismissal from the team, the Patriots could soon have three quarterbacks on their roster.
Could Tom Brady be the fourth quarterback on their roster by the time August rolls around?
