When the Patriots announced they had re-signed backup quarterback Tommy DeVito earlier this offseason, the attention quickly shifted to what that might mean for Joshua Dobbs. It didn't take long for the veteran to be released, leaving just DeVito and Drake Maye in the quarterback room for the 2026 season.
Most have assumed the obvious next move would be to add a more seasoned veteran to the roster, whether to be a reliable QB2 or even to mentor the younger players. But that doesn't appear to be the plan, at least according to Mike Vrabel.
While speaking to reporters at the Annual Owner's Meeting earlier this week, the head coach emphasized his desire to see the Patriots sign a younger player that they can develop and add to the depth chart, whether that be the active roster or practice squad.
That presumably rules out a reunion some fans were thinking could happen, as 2014 draft pick Jimmy Garoppolo is looking for a new team this offseason. He seemed like an obvious fit for what the Patriots need, but they'll be going in a different direction.
HEADLINE
Assuming that Dobbs was brought in to be a veteran voice in the locker room for Maye and DeVito, most analysts and fans believed the next move would be to reinstall that with another quarterback with years of experience who might be more reliable on the field if needed.
Because Garoppolo has a history with Josh McDaniels, since he was the offensive coordinator for the Patriots when he was drafted, and he followed him to Las Vegas when he became the head coach of the Raiders, he seemed like an obvious fit for what the Patriots would presumably be looking for.
He was a longtime starter for the 49ers after his Patriots career, even taking the team to the Super Bowl and putting together an impressive six-year run there. His experience across the league and in big-time games made him a no-brainer signing, but Vrabel has made it clear that they want to prioritize youth with their next backup.
That probably means they'll be looking for their next quarterback through the draft, unless one of the unsigned players remaining stands out to them in some way.
It seems smarter to bring in someone with more experience who can contribute more to the table than just assurance during a game, but that's not the direction the Patriots want to go in. It makes it even more interesting to see who they'll deem worthy of filling that role, and hopefully, he will be good.