The New England Patriots are facing a quarterback conundrum as starter Mac Jones and backup Brian Hoyer are both dealing with injuries heading into Week 5. With Bailey Zappe the only remaining QB on the active roster, Bill Belichick and Co. made a move at the position in order to add some depth to the roster. According to NFL insider Tom Pelissero, the Patriots have signed Garrett Gilbert to the practice squad.
The #Patriots are expected to sign QB Garrett Gilbert to the practice squad, per source.
With Mac Jones (high ankle sprain) and Brian Hoyer (concussion) both dealing with injuries, the only healthy QB on the roster is rookie Bailey Zappe.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 4, 2022
With both Jones and Hoyer facing unclear outlooks for Week 5, the Patriots may be forced to roll with Zappe as the starter. If that's the case, Gilbert would likely be elevated to the active roster in order to serve as the backup in Week 5 against the Detroit Lions.
Gilbert was a sixth-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Rams. He didn't appear in an NFL game until 2018 as a member of the Carolina Panthers. The journeyman quarterback has spent time with the Panthers, Browns, Cowboys, and Commanders, and will now get another chance to latch on with the Patriots.
Across eight career games, two of which he started, Gilbert has completed 57.3 percent of his pass attempts (43-for-75) with one touchdown and one interception. While he lacks game experience, the same can be said for Zappe who got his first taste of NFL action during the Patriots' loss in Week 4.
With Hoyer and Jones still dealing with their injuries, the Patriots wisely added some insurance to Zappe in the form of Gilbert. The Patriots would likely prefer to avoid putting Gilbert in during a game, but if the situation worsens, that may be in the cards.
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