The Indianapolis Colts have added another former New England Patriots quarterback to their roster.
After losing Andrew Luck to retirement, the team has agreed to a three-year deal to have Brian Hoyer serve as their top backup. Hoyer was among the Patriots' final cuts and while the Patriots had interest in retaining him as a third quarterback, Hoyer elected to take the three-year deal worth up to $12 million with the Colts, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
The Colts were rumored to be interested in Hoyer from the very beginning following his release. He is now locked in as a veteran backup option on the roster behind Jacoby Brissett. Brissett was a third-round pick by the Patriots in the 2016 NFL Draft and was traded to the Colts ahead of the 2017 season in exchange for Phillip Dorsett.
Hoyer's presence in Indy will give them a veteran presence in the quarterback room, something that they needed in the wake of Luck's surprising retirement. Hoyer has made 37 career starts and has a 16-21 record while throwing 48 touchdowns and 30 interceptions.
With the Colts, Hoyer will likely serve as the top backup to Brissett. He can mentor his young counterpart and also work with Chad Kelly, another young passer who may have had a chance to win the backup job had he not been suspended for the first two games of the season by the NFL.
New England Patriots
While the Patriots may have liked to keep Hoyer, they should be fine without him. Jarrett Stidham flashed immense talent and upside during the preseason, and trusting the rookie fourth-round pick while opening up a roster spot for depth at another position seemed like a sensible move.
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