What a difference a year makes.
This time in 2024, the Patriots were undergoing a complete overhaul of the quarterback room, which resulted in the signing of Jacoby Brissett as the "bridge" quarterback to the rookie they drafted with the No. 3 overall pick of the NFL Draft, Drake Maye.
After a season in which Maye started 12 of New England's 17 games, throwing for 2,276 yards and 15 touchdowns to 10 interceptions, he is firmly entrenched as the starter and the Patriots' franchise QB.
With Brissett once again an unrestricted free agent, it is unlikely that he will return to be the Patriots' backup again in 2025. Joe Milton III, who New England drafted in the sixth round in 2024, will likely remain on the roster. But the Patriots will still need a veteran backup, and here are the five best fits:
Ranking the best backup quarterback options for the Patriots
1. Jarrett Stidham
At 28 years old, Stidham still has a lot of football left in him. Though his dreams of being a starter may be on pause as the chips haven't fallen his way in terms of getting starting opportunities (only four starts in his career), he has proven to be a beneficial member of the locker room.
Both Josh McDaniels and Sean Payton have sought after him, and with McDaniels back in the fold as New England's offensive coordinator, it could be a no-brainer to bring Stidham back to Foxboro. The two have worked together for four years, three in New England and one in Las Vegas.
2. Jameis Winston
With 87 career starts at 31 years of age, Winston brings a wealth of experience in addition to working with head coach Mike Vrabel last season in Cleveland. Winston has thrown for 24,225 yards, 154 touchdowns, and 111 interceptions in his career.
He has 36 wins as a starter and would be a solid backup to Maye, and he's known to bring camaraderie and leadership to a locker room.
3. Jimmy Garoppolo
Once known as the quarterback-in-waiting for the Patriots' franchise behind Tom Brady, "Jimmy G" is no stranger to New England. The 33-year-old Garoppolo spent three full seasons as the Patriots' backup before being traded to San Francisco in October 2017.
All three New England seasons were with McDaniels as his offensive coordinator. After spending six seasons in San Francisco, where he started Super Bowl LIV, he signed to play for McDaniels and the Raiders in 2023 and started six games. Garoppolo is 43-21 as a starter with 15,828 yards, 96 touchdowns and 52 interceptions.
4. Drew Lock
Lock has spent five years in the league for three teams (Broncos, Seahawks, Giants), registering a 10-18 record as a starter. He's 28 years old, so he likely has many years ahead as a backup in the NFL. The first person on this list with no apparent connection to the Patriots, Vrabel, or McDaniels, this one is probably a long shot but still one to look for.
5. Mason Rudolph
Another one without a legitimate connection to Vrabel or McDaniels, Rudolph has played four seasons in Pittsburgh and one in Tennessee. Most recently, he started five games for the Titans—his most since going 5-3 as a rookie starter for the Steelers. The 29-year-old Rudolph is 9-8-1 as a starter, throwing for 4,615 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 20 interceptions.