The season-ending injury to Sam Bradford suddenly puts the spotlight on backup quarterbacks with expiring contracts. The St. Louis Rams are initially putting their faith in veteran Shaun Hill to step up and replace the quarterback after he re-tore his ACL in Saturday's preseason game. However, a trade is very likely considering the lack of depth on the roster. All eyes are now on New England Patriots' backup, Ryan Mallett.
Since getting drafted, trade rumors have been circling Mallett for the better part of two years. Despite having yet to play in a regular-season NFL game, Mallett's stock in the league is high. Many NFL analysts believe sitting behind Tom Brady can help turn any quarterback into a true starter. Mallett's name has come up multiple times for a variety of teams, but head coach Bill Belichick has been adamant that the backup is not for sale. However, with Jimmy Garoppolo playing well, Belichick's words might not ring true for the Rams come calling.
According to NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport, the Patriots are holding Mallett out of the final preseason game and starting Garoppolo. No one expected Brady to play in this matchup, but most expected Mallett to be active. However, sitting out speaks volumes towards his availability in a trade. New England was not interested in dealing until Bradford went down with an injury. Suddenly, Mallett is likely worth more than he was during the offseason. The Rams could be willing to offer more because of the urgency to bring someone in. If Mallett were to get injured in the preseason game, he is no longer an option for a deal.
The Patriots typically only carry two quarterbacks on the roster so a trade of Mallett would not be shocking. He has a strong arm and a big build, giving him all the characteristics of a successful quarterback despite the fact that he has never started an NFL game before. The backup is in the final year of his rookie contract and would be an easy pickup for the Rams. They can test Mallett out as a starter and if things do not work out then the Rams will likely say hello to the No. 1 draft pick and Jameis Winston.
