Patriots sign veteran QB amid Mac Jones rumors

The Patriots are adding a third quarterback to their offseason roster. Sixth-year passer Trace McSorley is joining the team, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com. The Patriots have confirmed the news. It is a one-year deal, per ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler.

McSorley finished the past two seasons with the Cardinals, relocating to the desert after the team poached him off the Ravens’ practice squad in November 2021. McSorley also has a tie to the Patriots, with OC Bill O’Brien having recruited him as a high school prospect when he was coaching Penn State.

O’Brien never coached McSorley at Penn State, having joined the Texans weeks before the prospect committed in 2014, but he was still leading the Nittany Lions during most of the QB’s recruitment. McSorley, 27, will join a Patriots team that is in a strange place at quarterback; the former Ravens and Cardinals passer will project as a third-string option behind Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe.

Despite Jones’ first-round pedigree and having been New England’s starter (when healthy) throughout his career, Bill Belichick has not proclaimed the Alabama product his 2023 starter. Jones’ conduct last season, including a reported reach-out effort to Alabama staffers about the state of the Patriots offense, is believed to have rankled his current coach. Trade rumors have emerged regarding Jones, but the Pats may not be intent on moving him.

The Pats released veteran backup Brian Hoyer, who is believed to have voiced frustration about the team’s Matt Patricia experiment last year, earlier this year. Hoyer is now with the Raiders. The team has sought a mobile third QB option post-Hoyer, per Fowler; McSorley fits that bill. He totaled 23 rushing touchdowns over his final two seasons at Penn State and finished his senior season with 798 rushing yards.

A reserve throughout his NFL career, McSorley received his first starting opportunity last season. Kyler Murray's and Colt McCoy‘s injuries sent McSorley into the fray. He started the Cards’ Christmas night game against the Buccaneers — an overtime loss — and finished that game 24-of-45 for 217 yards. McSorley also saw action in three other Cardinals games last season.

McSorley isn't expected to factor into the Pats' upcoming QB competition, but he profiles as an experienced third option for the team. It will be quite a roundabout reunion with O’Brien, who left for Houston nine years ago.