Report: Patriots to add QB depth with practice squad signing originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The New England Patriots entered Tuesday with only one healthy quarterback on their active roster. That's about to change.
The Patriots are expected to sign veteran Garrett Gilbert to their practice squad, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports.
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Starting quarterback Mac Jones missed Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers due to an ankle injury, while his backup, Brian Hoyer, exited in the first quarter due to a head injury. That left rookie Bailey Zappe to finish the game, but the Patriots would have had no other options had Zappe gone down.
Perry's Patriots-Packers Report Card: How did Zappe perform in emergency action?
While the statuses of Jones and Hoyer are unclear for Week 5, the Patriots are signaling they need more depth at the position by reportedly adding Gilbert.
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Gilbert is plenty familiar with New England, too: He joined the Patriots' practice squad in December 2014 -- earning a ring after the team's Super Bowl XLIX victory -- and returned to Foxboro in 2021 to spend most of the regular season on New England's practice squad.
The 31-year-old most recently saw NFL action with the Washington Commanders in Week 15 of last season, completing 20 of 31 passes for 194 yards with no touchdowns in a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. He signed with Josh McDaniels' Las Vegas Raiders this offseason but was released after the team traded for Patriots backup Jarrett Stidham.
If either Jones or Hoyer can't play against the Detroit Lions in Week 5, expect Gilbert to be called up to the active roster.
