Report: Patriots signing Brian Hoyer to practice squad
Mac Jones didn’t just win the Patriots’ starting quarterback job, he found himself the lone QB on the team’s roster.
However, a familiar face is returning to join him, as veteran quarterback Brian Hoyer is rejoining the Patriots, Both Brian Hoyer and D'Angelo Ross have been signed to the Patriots practice squad, per source. Hoyer's presence on the practice squad is interesting.
Guregian’s report comes after a similar report from The Patriots are indeed planning to re-sign Brian Hoyer ahead of Week 1, after they take care of some roster house-cleaning, I'm told. Deal could be done as soon as later today.
Having Hoyer in the QB room should enormously valuable for new starter Mac Jones.
The practice squad note is certainly interesting, and seems to be some crafty roster maneuvering on the part of the Patriots, as practice squad players can be elevated to the main roster without counting against the team’s 53-man roster for two games a season. In other words, the Patriots are likely to simply elevate Hoyer from the practice squad for the first two games of the 2021 season, and then sign him to the main roster for the remainder of the 2021 campaign.
It’s just another piece of the jigsaw puzzle currently being solved by Bill Belichick & Co., which will also need to open up a roster spot for newly-claimed offensive weapon Malcolm Perry between now and the team’s Week 1 opener with Miami.
Once the 35-year-old Hoyer’s signing and seemingly inevitable promotion to the main squad is official, he will resume what is his third stint with the Patriots. Signed by the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2009, Hoyer beat out three other quarterbacks for the backup job. After spending time as a journeyman starter he returned as Tom Brady’s backup following the Jimmy Garoppolo trade in 2017 and 2018. His current stint began in 2020, after spending 2019 with the Colts.
MORE: Patriots claim former Navy QB off waivers
Alex Barth is a writer and digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Looking for a podcast guest? Let him know on Twitter @RealAlexBarth or via email at [email protected].
