Report: Patriots trade backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham to Raiders in late-round pick exchange

The writing was already on the wall, and now it appears Jarrett Stidham’s time with the New England Patriots is indeed coming to an end. According to multiple media reports, the fourth-year quarterback is headed to the Las Vegas Raiders: New England will send Stidham and a seventh-round draft pick to the Raiders in exchange for a sixth-round selection.

Stidham,25, joined the Patriots as a fourth-round draft pick out of Auburn in 2019. He spent his first three seasons with the team as a backup quarterback — first behind Tom Brady and Cam Newton, later behind Mac Jones — and did not gain a lot of actual on-field experience outside of practice and preseason. So far, Stidham has appeared in just eight games, completing half of his passes for 270 yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions.

Coming off a disappointing 2021 season that saw him spend time on the physically unable to perform list and return as the third quarterback behind Jones and Brian Hoyer, he was seen as a realistic trade candidate. The Patriots adding Bailey Zappe in the fourth round of the draft effectively sealed his fate.

Now, Stidham gets to reunite with former New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels in Las Vegas. The Patriots, meanwhile, move forward with Mac Jones as the undisputed QB1 and Hoyer and Zappe as his backups.