The Scoop on Patriots Quarterbacks

New England Patriots fans watching last week’s game against the Washington Redskins cringed during a tense moment in the second quarter when Tom Brady came crashing to the ground Friday night after getting hit hard by the Skins’ Albert Haynesworth and landing on his throwing shoulder. The crushing sack was enough for Brady to grab his shoulder and spend the rest of the game rotating his arm and stretching it, causing speculation to stir on whether Brady’s 2009 season will start off like 2008 did. While the Bill Belichick camp is still being vague on the status of Brady’s arm, however, it’s largely been written off as a “sore shoulder,” pretty much dismissed for now.

Yes, Tom Brady is still expected to start in the Patriots’ season opener against the Buffalo Bills on Sept. 14, but one New England quarterback who won’t be in attendance for the kickoff to the ‘09 regular season is backup QB Kevin O’Connell, who was released by the Patriots over the weekend. The second-year player out of San Diego State was largely expected to be second in line to Tom Brady this year, but his shaky preseason performances led the team to reevaluate its stock of quarterbacks, opting to release O’Connell and keep the recently signed Andrew Walter and undrafted rookie Brian Hoyer on the roster. The Pats are said to be scouring the market for a veteran backup, and there’s been talk of New England courting Eagles backup A.J. Feeley, who now could be expendable thanks to Philadelphia’s acquisition of Michael Vick, depending on when Vick will be able to play in the regular season. Stay tuned as the quarterback situation gets settled.

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Posted in Uncategorized on September 1, 2009

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