Ryan Mallett has not thrown a pass in an NFL game and he has only seen limited time on the field during the preseason and yet he has some of the highest stock in the league over players that have been starters before. Playing behind Tom Brady can certainly do something for a player's value and team's are noticing. After the New England Patriots drafted a quarterback in the second round, Bill Belichick is denying Mallett is going anywhere.
When the Patriots draft Mallett a few seasons ago, he was viewed as the future in New England. The Patriots appeared to be growing their future Brady and after a strong college career, Mallett looked like the right player for the job. However, New England draft Jimmy Garoppolo, putting Mallett's future in question.
With Mallett's name circling several trade rumors, Belichick is denying there will be a deal happening this season. The head coach went on Sirius XM NFL Radio and said the Patriots are not interested in a deal. In true Belichick fashion, he simply said "That's not really something we're that interested in."
Mallett was picked up in the third-round back in 2011 and after three seasons of sitting on the bench, his value is high. Include an expiring contract to his name and teams were very interested in giving up a draft pick for the backup. The Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans and Tennessee Titans all kicked the tires on a trade. According to ESPN.com, the Texans even called about Mallett price tag after the draft, furthering the level of their interest. However, no deal has been finalized and according to Belichick, it will not.
So at least for one season, barring any surprise move, Mallett and Garoppolo will compete as a backup to Brady. The rookie denied the idea that he was the future Brady for the Patriots, noting that he was focused on learning from both the veteran and Mallett.
The Patriots may stick with Mallett for one more season, but New England will likely part ways with the quarterback in free agency unless Garoppolo fails to develop in his first year. Mallett could easily sign with teams like the Titans, Rams or Raiders if things do not work out for those teams this year.
