Patriots QB snapshot

How about Peppahs? Any word on Mayo?

Any good vacation pics?

welcome back Mike. Hope you enjoyed the Vacation..

Welcome back, Mike! I'm looking forward to seeing how much playing time the QBs get in camp and the preseason games. Its going to be tough to balance the needs of Brady (getting used to game speed after nearly 18 months off) and the youngsters (getting enough reps to be confident in running the offense should the need arise). At the very least it gives me a reason to actually use my preseason tickets this year!

Welcome back, Mike! We hope you had a great vacation and look forward to your coverage of training camp.

The vacation was enjoyable, focused on family and friends. I also read Jim Nantz' book "Always by my side", which I recommend for those who like father-son stories and sports. Jim, I think you make a great point. I expect Brady to play in the preseason, assuming he remains on a positive course in his recovery. I see the Patriots handling him differently this year in the preseason.
--Mike

I, also, am happy to have you back, Mike. The guys did a great job while you were recreating but there's no one like Mike Reiss! Now that you're on the job I expect the rains will cease and the sun to shine day after day. So! Let's talk PATRIOTS FOOTBALL! Yeah!

Welcome back Mike. I'm sure the time off flew by for you, but it went slllooowww for us.

hey mike-vacation is always a good thing.the only problem is,they dont last long.as for a back-up QB.the pats really need a good veteran if available.maybe griese,if the rumors are true that he may get cut.cassel had a few years under his belt,that helped him.i dont think o-connel has had much time in yet to handle the job.

This is probably a dumb idea, but if I were BB I would consider playing Brady and the entire starting squad offense in the second half of the pre-season games. Let Tom B. get his rhythm against a weaker defense and minimize his risk exposure. This would also give O'Connell and others more game time expsoure.

I was in the minority that said yes mainly because even Cassel had veterans (Flutie/Testaverte) during his learning years. O'Connel had no one last year. Not even Brady was around to help mentor him.

The Pats must be high on O'Connell if they are approaching the season with him as the backup and who is anyone to doubt BillB with his track record regarding QB's. Picking Brady over Bledsoe and staying with him as a youngster in spite of all the media hoopla at the time. Remember where you fell in that junction Mike???
I disagree - I don't see Brady taking the field for preseason, maybe, maybe at the very end

Hey Mike, welcome back. Let's face it, if Brady goes down again and this team has to rely on a back up--ANY back up--for a second year in a row, we may as well let it be O'Connell. We are stacked at running back and have good depth at receiver and tight end. They'll go conservative with medium and short throws and run it more. Of course, teams will play up and whoever is the back up will have to figure out the long ball sooner or later. But honestly, another season with this amazing offense being run by a back up would be cruel irony of the worst sort.

I don't recall any OTA reporting that indicated Edelman saw any reps at QB? I'll be quite surprised if he sees QB reps for anything but the Scout team.

One word Brett Favre...DISCO DISCO

HEY MIKE!! ITS GRATE YOUR BACK!! NOW THAT GREASY HAS BIN RELEESED, WHY DONT WE SINE HIM TO BACK UP TOMMIE?

Good work, but two comments:

(1) Gutierrez will not be an unrestricted free agent in 2010, cap or no cap, as this would be his third season in the league.

(2) Would the Pats sign a veteran QB if the opportunity presented itself? At this point, probably not. They haven't had a true veteran, other than Brady, since Testaverde in 2006. I think BB is now trying to turn New England into a QB developmental pipeline, and bringing in a veteran would completely screw that up.

Welcome Back Mike!!!!
How is the "princess" of the Reiss family doing?

Looking forward to more in depth Reiss' Pieces!!

STI, I will check on Gutierrez and his free-agent status. I was definitely incorrect to say he would be a restricted free agent in an uncapped year. I meant that he would be restricted in a capped year, but now I am double-checking, so I've since tightened up that sentence. Thanks for pointing it out. ... Darryl, I'd consider Griese. I think that could be a solid signing.
--Mike

As Brady's last two games (Super Bowl and Knee Bowl) demonstrated, protection is EVERYTHING. Never a scrambler, this year Brady is going to be an easy sack if anyone gets through. Minus protection, he and the Pats will be screwed this year. So I'm more concerned with the line depth than the QB depth.

Any truth to the rumor that I started that the now single Jessica Simpson has been calling Kevin O'Connell? and should NEPats fans be worried?

Based on the "Should the Pats sign a Vet QB for depth" question. I don't think it's necessary, but I think it would be a good option to help develop the younger QBs on the roster. That way Brady doesn't have to take the leadership role solely to help develop them, he can focus on getting back to his previous form.

KC will find out that the pats system created cassel. But Brady may be the best there ever was. Don't spend money on an old washed up qb, unless Vinny will play for a buck.

as a pat fan in mexico I hope Tom must be healthy all the year.

kevin O. is a good back up in a worst case.

could you keep the position previews up to date? to have a line backer review and not include burgess and a qb review not include picking up a vetran (and thereby answering your primary question) turns a great on-going feature into a one time read. thinnk about generating "hits" over the long term and boosting advertising dollars.