Free Guide to New England Patriots Quarterback Depth Chart

Understanding the New England Patriots Quarterback Position

The quarterback position represents the most important role on any NFL football team. This player throws the football, leads offensive plays, and makes split-second decisions that determine whether a team scores points or turns the ball over. For the New England Patriots, the quarterback position has been central to the franchise's identity, particularly during the 20-year era when Tom Brady led the team to six Super Bowl championships between 2001 and 2019.

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A quarterback depth chart shows the ranking of quarterbacks on a team, typically listing them as the starter (first string), backup (second string), and third-string options. The starter is the player who begins games and leads the offense during regular plays. The backup serves as a replacement if the starter gets injured or performs poorly. Third-string quarterbacks rarely play in games but prepare to step in during emergencies.

The Patriots organization has approached the quarterback position differently depending on the era. During the Brady years, the team typically had younger backups waiting to develop, since they knew Brady would play multiple seasons. After Brady's retirement in 2023, the Patriots shifted their strategy to acquire more established backup options while searching for their next long-term starter. Understanding this position's role in football helps clarify why depth charts matter to team strategy.

Practical takeaway: A depth chart reveals a team's confidence in each player and shows potential replacement options if the starter cannot play. Fans and analysts study these charts to understand team planning and predict which players might get opportunities.

How NFL Depth Charts Work and Change Throughout the Season

Depth charts are not static documents—they shift regularly based on injuries, performance, coaching decisions, and trades. The Patriots organization typically releases official depth charts before the regular season begins, and these charts update throughout the year as circumstances change. Understanding how and why these changes occur helps explain quarterback situations.

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Injuries represent the most common reason for depth chart movement. If a starter suffers an injury that keeps them sidelined for multiple weeks, the backup moves into the starting position. The third-string quarterback may be promoted to backup status, or the team might sign a free agent quarterback to fill the gap. For example, when a team's starting quarterback breaks a finger, that injury might require surgery and several weeks of recovery, forcing the backup to start games immediately.

Performance-based changes occur when a starter underperforms despite staying healthy. Coaches and management evaluate statistics like completion percentage, touchdown passes, interceptions, and whether the team wins games. If a starter struggles significantly over multiple games, coaches might decide to start the backup in the next game to see if performance improves. These decisions are often controversial because coaches must balance giving players time to develop against the pressure to win games now.

Trades and free agent signings can dramatically alter a depth chart overnight. If the Patriots trade for a veteran quarterback or sign a free agent, that player might immediately move into the backup position or even compete for the starting role. These moves typically occur during the offseason or at the trade deadline in October.

Practical takeaway: Depth charts change frequently, so checking current information from official team sources or recent sports news articles gives you the most accurate picture of who plays what position on the Patriots.

The Patriots Quarterback Situation Since Tom Brady's Departure

Tom Brady's retirement in February 2023 ended an era and forced the Patriots to rebuild their quarterback position. For two decades, Patriots fans knew who would start every game. The transition created uncertainty and changed how the team approached the quarterback depth chart completely.

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The Patriots entered the 2023 offseason with several options. They drafted Mac Jones in 2021 as Brady's eventual successor, and Jones had started 17 games in 2022 before Brady retired. However, Jones' second year showed inconsistency, completing 67.6% of passes while throwing 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. The organization questioned whether Jones would become their franchise quarterback or whether they should explore other options.

During the 2023 offseason, the Patriots signed veteran quarterbacks to provide competition and experience. They brought in Jacoby Brissett, who had starting experience with multiple NFL teams including the Miami Dolphins and Washington Commanders. Brissett offered a steady alternative if the team wanted to move on from Jones or if they wanted to mentor younger quarterbacks.

The 2023 season saw the Patriots struggle significantly, finishing 4-13 with the worst record in the AFC East. This poor performance led to coaching changes, including the firing of head coach Bill Belichick after 24 seasons. The quarterback uncertainty during this period meant the depth chart became a topic of intense debate among fans and analysts wondering if the team would stick with Jones or make a change.

Practical takeaway: Learning about recent Patriots quarterback history shows how organizations make decisions about their most important position and how those choices affect team performance over time.

Evaluating Quarterback Statistics and Performance Metrics

Understanding the statistics used to evaluate quarterbacks helps explain why coaches make changes to depth charts and why one quarterback might be preferred over another. The most basic statistics include completions, attempts, completion percentage, passing yards, and touchdowns.

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Completion percentage shows what fraction of a quarterback's passes are caught by receivers. A 65% completion percentage means the quarterback completed 65 out of every 100 passes attempted. Higher percentages generally indicate better accuracy, though this varies by team strategy. Some offenses intentionally call deep passes that have lower completion percentages but higher yards per attempt.

Touchdown-to-interception ratio compares how many times a quarterback throws touchdowns versus interceptions. A quarterback with 25 touchdowns and 10 interceptions has a better ratio than a quarterback with 20 touchdowns and 15 interceptions, even though the first threw fewer total touchdowns. This ratio helps evaluate decision-making and ball security.

Passer rating uses a formula combining completion percentage, yards per attempt, touchdown percentage, and interception percentage into a single number ranging from 0 to 158.3. A rating above 90 generally indicates solid performance, while ratings above 100 show excellent play. For context, Tom Brady's career passer rating was 97.6, which ranked among the highest in NFL history.

Advanced statistics like EPA (Expected Points Added) and QBR (Total Quarterback Rating) measure how much a quarterback's play affects scoring margin. These metrics account for down, distance, and field position to evaluate decisions beyond basic statistics. Teams increasingly use these advanced metrics when evaluating quarterbacks for depth chart decisions.

Practical takeaway: Multiple statistics reveal different aspects of quarterback play, so comparing one or two numbers provides incomplete information. Coaches consider many metrics when deciding which quarterback should start.

Comparing Current and Historical Patriots Quarterbacks

Examining how different Patriots quarterbacks performed across eras provides context for understanding the franchise's quarterback evolution. This comparison shows how expectations and roster construction changed over time.

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Tom Brady holds numerous Patriots franchise records. During 20 seasons (2000-2019), he threw 581 touchdown passes in a Patriots uniform while completing 64.4% of his passes. He led the team to 17 playoff appearances and won six Super Bowl championships. Brady's consistency—he started essentially every game for two decades—allowed the Patriots to focus on building defenses and supporting cast rather than constantly evaluating backup quarterbacks.

Cam Newton arrived as a free agent in 2020 after Brady's initial retirement announcement, then stepping aside when Brady unretired. Newton represented a different style—a mobile, athletic quarterback compared to Brady's pocket-passing approach. In his one Patriots season (2020), Newton threw 8 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions while rushing 137 times for 598 yards.

Mac Jones, selected 15th overall in 2021, represented the Patriots' attempt to develop their next franchise quarterback. In his rookie season, Jones threw 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions with a 67.6% completion percentage. He showed promise but inconsistency, sparking debates about whether he could develop into an elite quarterback or whether the Patriots should pursue alternatives.

Jacoby Brissett, who served as backup to several Patriots starters, represents journeyman quarterback options. Brissett has started 26 NFL games across multiple teams, providing experience but lacking the elite talent of franchise players. His presence on depth charts typically indicated teams wanted experienced backup support.

Practical takeaway: Historical comparison shows how franchise quarterbacks differ dramatically from backup options, and helps explain why finding the right quarterback