With Brian Hoyer heading back to Foxborough for a third shift, things are starting to look slightly more stable at the Patriots quarterback position.
A journeyman QB who has played for eight teams, 34-year-old Brian Hoyer has agreed to a one-year deal with the New England Patriots.
He will join Jarrett Stidham and Cody Kessler to compete to be the starting Patriots quarterback in the upcoming season.
Hoyer’s signing should motivate Patriots quarterbacks
Hoyer’s arrival could prove to be a wise move by the Patriots front office as it has the potential to create a really competitive contest for starter.
The competition will inevitably drive each player to train their hardest and perfect their craft as best as possible.
Had they hired the likes of Cam Newton or Andy Dalton, it is likely Stidham would not have felt the need to compete for the starting role.
If Tom Brady proves anything, it’s that competition for the job and the opportunity to prove yourself is an extremely effective motivator.
Hoyer and Stidham are already familiar with competing against each other, having done so before at training camp last summer – Stidham won and Hoyer was released.
READ MORE: New England Patriots sign journeyman quarterback Brian Hoyer
So to reignite that rivalry should motivate both men to give it their all and result in two better quarterbacks.
By bringing the total number of quarterbacks to three on the depth chart, the Patriots also create a bit of stability after what has been a tumultuous free agency so far.
With Stidham now having a full NFL season behind Tom Brady in his locker, the competition will likely still go his way.
But that’s not to say Hoyer, who has reportedly been guaranteed at least a shot at the starting job, will not be invaluable even as a back up.
While not in the ranks of Andy Dalton or Cam Newton, Hoyer brings some vital knowledge and experience to the Patriots quarterback corp.
He is an experienced player who knows the Patriots franchise and offensive coordinator Josh Mcdaniels and backed up Tom Brady, one of the greatest of all time, for years.
Whether as a mentor to Stidham and Kessler or to lead by example under center himself, Hoyer brings invaluable experience to the young Patriots quarterbacks.
It is clear the Patriots will not be signing another quarterback, given their cap space situation, but it is possible they will look to add a fourth in the 2020 draft just to make the competition even more lively.
The stage is set for an exciting summer camp and an even more unpredictable season for the New England Patriots as they enter a new era without champion quarterback Tom Brady.
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