BOSTON (AP) — Four seasons ago, Patriots coach Bill Belichick entered training camp feeling like he had “the best quarterback situation in the league.”
Tom Brady was his starter. He had a likely successor in Jimmy Garoppolo developing nicely behind the future Hall of Famer. He even had a capable third option in Jacoby Brissett, who had proven himself the previous season when he stepped in to start two games while Brady was serving his four-game “Deflategate” suspension.
Then, just like that, it was gone.
Belichick traded Brissett to the Colts at the end of training camp in 2017 and the next month shipped Garoppolo to the 49ers for a second-round draft pick.