BY SAM HOLLINGSWORTH
Sure, there's the rare, Matt Cassel-type opportunity which took place in 2008. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady went down following a low hit behind the line of scrimmage, thrashing his ACL, and missed every remaining snap of the season.
Subsequently, second-stringer Cassel, who backed up eventual top-10, first-round draft picks Carson Palmer and Matt Lienhart at USC and hadn't actually started a game since high school, was now the guy. Cassel went on to not only finish off — and win — the first game of the season, but he won 11 games with the Patriots that year and achieved some big accomplishments along the way (back-to-back 400-yard games, two-time AFC Player of the Week).
Unfortunately, New England's 11 wins weren't good enough to make the playoffs (an NFL first), but it did score Cassel a big-time contract and starting job with the Chiefs. It also scored the Patriots a second-round draft pick (34th overall). And, since veteran linebacker Mike Vrabel was also sent out to play at Arrowhead Stadium, a lot of outsiders were wondering how the Pats could offer so much and get so little in return.
We now know why. The Patriots turned that 34th pick into safety Patrick Chung, a key component to the Patriots' secondary for the past two seasons. The Chiefs continue to be mediocre, with Cassel missing much of last season on injured reserve and Vrabel retiring in 2011 before the season began.
But what about the rest of the Patriots' backup field generals? What's it like with a healthy Brady around? All we have to do is look at the current QB situation in New England to get an idea.
With Brady obviously under center every game he is able, two talented signal callers remain in waiting behind him. The No. 2, Brian Hoyer, has been backing up Brady since Cassell's departure, and he's made the most of every opportunity he's received.
And those opportunities, along with the way players like Cassel and former Eagles backup Kevin Kolb go on and become starters with new teams, make it much easier to evaluate coach Bill Belichick's strategy during preseason play. He's not just trying to improve his bench players' skill sets and make them comfortable in games; he is also trying to showcase their potential for other teams in need.
Any opinions anyone has about New England backup quarterbacks before seeing them in action in a preseason game usually go out the window after watching them take 30 snaps.
Belichick recently illustrated this in his treatment of Hoyer. After showcasing the former undrafted QB's talents as much as possible with a healthy Brady on the team, the Pats slapped a second-round restricted free agent tender on Hoyer in hopes a team in need of a somewhat experienced signal caller would make a move for him. Plus, the Pats have former prized college quarter back Ryan Mallett in waiting at No. 3.
Mallett, too, has received chances to showcase his talents in preseason matchups. Had the team placed a restricted free agent tender on him, it may have let go of a player many believe will succeed Brady because of his well-known athletic ability and decorated college career.
Regardless, expect Belichick and the Patriots to generate some real value from both Hoyer and Mallett in the near future. You might even be able to expect one to take the throne once Brady steps down. Either way, don't expect New England's backup quarterbacks to go to waste.
Just look how Brady turned out.
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