The New England Patriots may look at a Ryan Mallett trade this preseason if a team like the Houston Texans steps up with a deal, as the team wants to trade the quarterback if Jimmy Garoppolo show he deserves the chance to be Tom Brady's backup and this comes as Mallett is heading towards free agency next offseason
According to Pro Football Talk, the Patriots are hoping to showcase Mallett this preseason and trade him ahead of the start of the season for a draft pick. The team selected Mallett four years ago to be the backup to Brady and the plan likely was to trade him at some point, but this summer things did not materialize and now they could pick up again. PFT reports that the Texans could be interested to give Ryan Fitzpatrick and Tom Savage some support and due to the fact that Bill O'Brien was once quarterbacks coach of the Patriots and knows Mallett and what he can do.
Peter King at MMQB.com writes that the Patriots may think about cutting Mallett if they can't find a trade, as Garoppolo is sticking around and Bill Belichick hates carrying three quarterbacks. Roster spots are very important and depending on how things go, the Pats could cut Mallett loose and that gives Garoppolo the chance to take over as the backup for Brady. The Patriots would love to snag a draft pick for Mallett and that could be what Belichick is trying to do heading into the season and now there are three more games left before roster cut downs for the official 53-man.
Mallett missed practice for two days and while that likely has nothing to do with the trade, it adds another wrinkle into the mix. ESPN Boston reports that Mallett dealt with a bit of a knee issue on the (STILL AFTER RG3 two YEARS AGO!?!?!) FedEx Field turf, which is considered to be some of the worst in the league. Mallett did not miss any time in the last preseason game against the Redskins, but the Patriots are being cautious with him. Mallett hasn't been in many games over the past few years since Brady has been healthy, but many see him as a potential starting quarterback in the league and he has been able to watch Brady and back him up, learning for years about playing QB in the NFL.
The Patriots haven't carried three quarterbacks for a few years and it's likely that Belichick wants to keep two this season. Garoppolo is just a rookie, but if he shows enough this preseason, the team likely will feel comfortable making him the backup. Mallett has been a good soldier and a good backup for Brady over these years and he has not made a peep since getting drafted with a character issue or two coming from Arkansas and now he could be on his way to another team soon. The Patriots usually play these things right and while they may not be able to get a fourth round pick for him, the team would likely be satisfied with any pick rather than cutting him loose or losing him for nothing after the season.
