The Ryan Mallett trade rumors are heating up again with the Houston Texans for the New England Patriots as the preseason opens up and Pro Football Talk reports that the team wants to give him a chance to play so that they can trade him and ideally they would like Jimmy Garoppolo to be the backup for Tom Brady if he shows he is ready and this comes after Mallett was rumored to be a target for the Texans and former NE assistant Bill O'Brien earlier in the offseason.
According to Pro Football Talk, Tom Curran of CSNNE.com speculates that the Patriots would like to move Mallett and get a draft pick, as the team hates carrying three quarterbacks and they know that Mallett will not be back next season. Mallett has his contract up after this season and that is one reason why the Patriots may want to deal him and that is also why they made the pick for Jimmy in the first place and that was in the second round of the draft.
Brady is not playing in the first preseason game for the Patriots and while he was fine in practice leading up to the game, Curran speculates that the Pats want to give Mallett a chance to show off. The team is hoping to "showcase" Mallett for teams and possibly the Texans and if he plays well, someone could trade for him during the preseason or right before the season starts. The team needs to see Garoppolo in action and Brady being out gives him the chance to play as well and Curran writes that the team would love to make a deal.
The Texans are coming into the season with Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback and while that is a likely option for the team since they paid him guaranteed money, the Texans probably wants and upgrade. The team has Fitzpatrick and Tom Savage for Bill O'Brien and he previously worked with Mallett in New England and now he could trade for him to be his new starter in Houston.
The rumors were bigger during the offseason, but both sides downplayed that despite some reported interest and a deal did not get done. Some speculated that the Patriots did not want an inexperienced player behind Brady, but now the Pats may see Garoppolo developing through training camp and he could be ready for the job. Mallett has done a very good job over the past few years as the backup and the Patriots would love nothing more than to flip him for a draft pick and keep two QBs on the roster.
Trades don't usually go down this late in the offseason and during the preseason, but if Mallett plays well and the Texans bite, he could end up in Houston with a Patriots coach connection.