Now that training camp has begun for most teams around the league, there's a better chance that some of the remaining top free agents will be signed to start practicing with their new teams. The Patriots have a few weaknesses they could address by signing more talent, especially a pass rusher, but they don't appear to be in any urgent rush to get that done.
The same can be said about adding a veteran backup quarterback into the mix, as they appear comfortable with Tommy DeVito and rookie Behren Morton. However, since they started practicing again this past week, there has been a noticeable shift in how the two are performing, and it could lead to a reunion led by Josh McDaniels.
The goal for the quarterback room is to have a young group of guys who can grow and be mentored into the kind of players the Patriots want. That's why DeVito and Morton make sense to work behind Maye.
But the problem is that if disaster strikes and Maye goes down in a game, the Patriots don't appear to be in a position to feel good about having either backup play in his absence. And that might be all the more reason to look into bringing back someone like Jimmy Garoppolo.
Not only does he have a connection to New England, since he was drafted there in the second round back in 2014, but he also followed McDaniels to the Raiders in 2023, so the Patriots could certainly be on his radar.
It makes too much sense for the Patriots to sign Jimmy Garoppolo for the 2026 season
Because Garoppolo has decided he will not retire this offseason, after quietly contemplating his NFL future, several teams might inquire about bringing in the experienced quarterback as a quality backup.
The Patriots are one of the most likely landing spots, even according to Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report, and given the need for veteran knowledge in their current quarterback room, on top of the obvious connection to the team, there's a good reason for Vrabel and Co. to seriously consider signing the 34-year-old.
As a longtime starter for the 49ers, even taking them to a Super Bowl, plus the knowledge he was gifted from being Tom Brady's No. 2 for the first four seasons of his career, there's a lot he can provide to Maye and the other backups on and off the field.
Adding him to the roster would be seamless with McDaniels calling the shots on offense, and there would be far more reason to feel confident when Maye isn't in a game than they have right now, which would presumably be a big enough reason for the team to consider signing a veteran sooner rather than later.
Given how his tenure in Las Vegas ended, it's fair to believe that he won't be a starter anymore, and if he'd like to play for a contender, even in a backup role, there might be no better option than his old stomping grounds.
And if the Patriots want to have the best roster possible in hopes of replicating last season's success, there might be no better quality backup quarterback than Garoppolo at this stage of the offseason, and there are far too many positives that come with his presence to ignore much longer.
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