Patriots Host Former Steelers Quarterback For Free Agent Tryout

The New England Patriots found their franchise quarterback in Mac Jones. He had a good first season with the team and helped his teammates win seven straight games. Brian Hoyer will stay on the roster and so will Jarrett Stidham. The quarterback situation in New England was a bit tricky last year but Bill Belichick got Jones in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft and the Alabama product earned the starting job. He beat Cam Newton in the quarterback competition and took the leading role in New England. Why would the Patriots host a quarterback for a tryout?

Patriots bring backup quarterback for a tryout

A group of free agents came to New England for a tryout and former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Joshua Dobbs was one of them.

Dobbs, 27, spent a good chunk of his NFL career with the Steelers. He was a good backup behind Ben Roethlisberger. The former fourth-rounder also spent time with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

What brings him to New England? Dobbs didn’t get much playing time with his former teams and the Patriots have a starter. He won’t get a lot of playing time in New England, too.

This leads us all the way to Stidham. Hoyer signed a two-year deal with the Patriots, but Stidham has one more season on his current deal. Head coach Belichick can easily make a move and trade him this offseason. Stidham was a good option for the team, but he was injured and struggled to make an impact.

Dobbs was excellent at Tennessee, rushing for 2,160 yards and 32 scores. He is not a mobile quarterback and only had six carries for 31 yards in five years.

Belichick has a few reasons to make a move and get new players. He has a starting quarterback but he can always use an experienced backup. Hoyer is here to work with Jones and this is the main reason Belichick had to keep him around for a while. His retirement was a big topic last offseason, but the Patriots wanted him on the roster.