QB · NE · 24 yrs · exp 0 · Texas Tech
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New England Patriots punter Bryce Baringer is expected to be sidelined due to an injury sustained during a preseason game. The team will likely sign a replacement punter as backup quarterback Behren Morton was forced to punt in Baringer's absence
Rookie QB Behren Morton showcased versatility by throwing a game‑winning TD and filling in as a punter during a preseason game, improving his roster chances
Rookie QB Behren Morton unexpectedly stepped in as the Patriots' punter before throwing the game-winning touchdown pass, showcasing his versatility despite not being a roster lock
You only get one chance to make a first impression, and for rookie NFL quarterbacks, their best chance at that impression comes in the preseason. This year, the Cardinals ' Carson Beck and the Panthers ' Haynes King got things off to a sizzling start in the Hall of Fame Game. Beck -- a third-round pick out of Miami -- went 15-for-19 for 188 yards and a touchdown in a thoroughly impressive performance , but King -- undrafted out of Georgia Tech -- got the last laugh, diving in for a game-winning touchdown on the final play. Think the preseason is boring? Think again! Unfortunately, neither Beck nor King could make any sort of second impression this week, as both were dealing with injuries. Still, there were 15 rookies playing their first (unofficial) NFL game. Here's how they fared. (And yes, I watched every single dropback by these players. Really.) The stat line just about says it all for Virginia Tech product Kyron Drones , who got cut shortly after the game. Kyler Baugh was HYPED after the sack 😤 🎥: NFL+ #UFLtoNFL pic.twitter.com/eiT21jv0yu Miller Moss missed on his first five passes before completing his final three. He did show nice touch on his last throw, a 22-yard strike to Ray-Ray McCloud . The Louisville product is currently the Bears ' No. 4 quarterback behind Caleb Williams , established backup Tyson Bagent and veteran journeyman Case Keenum , so he's likely hoping for a practice squad spot at best. With no Drake Maye , the Patriots started Tommy DeVito and then brought in Behren Morton in the third quarter. Morton had some short misses that he'd like to have back, but he also delivered a few nice throws. This tight-window completion to Kobe Prentice was his best. Behren Morton to Kobe Prentice for a big gain! 📺 WBZ pic.twitter.com/9RgAkGP0Oe The Falcons ' miserable last two weeks didn't get any better Friday night, when they got thumped by the Broncos 27-7. Tua Tagovailoa looked awful. Cooper Rush looked even worse. Michael Penix Jr . still isn't fully playing or practicing. We will give Jack Strand some credit, though: At the end of a brutal game, he at least got Atlanta on the board with a 1-yard quarterback sneak. Via usereliprod pic.twitter.com/JY6uPkObqO Nice moment for a guy out of Division-II Minnesota State-Moorhead. Former Illinois standout Luke Altmyer played almost the entire game for the Lions , and he was mostly fine, especially for an undrafted rookie who had to face several Bengals starters at first and then second-stringers as well. His first interception wasn't his fault: Isaac TeSlaa bobbled a well-thrown ball. The second pick was just barely out of the reach of Dominic Lovett . Altmyer threw his first (unofficial) NFL touchdown to Tarik Black late. Luke Altmyer to Tarik Black for the Lions TD Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/8asXzMWVYf Expected to be a mid-round pick, Garrett Nussmeier nearly slid out of the draft completely before the Chiefs nabbed him. The former LSU signal caller got plenty of opportunities to show he should have gone earlier and was generally solid. He had a few impressive moments, including this nice scramble-drill improvisation for Nikko Remigio ... Rookie QB Garrett Nussmeier with a nice little throw on the run. LARvsKC on @NFLnetwork Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/pD4tho6MTk ... and this dart to Jared Wiley . Another dime on the run from the rookie Garrett Nussmeier LARvsKC on @NFLnetwork Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/x6aqxHi5N4 He also took a very rookie-like sack by Desjuan Johnson and got up gingerly Down goes the QB 😤 📺 @CBSLosAngeles | 📲 https://t.co/R5m5kJYp8K pic.twitter.com/mgjDacnX4j Unfortunately, what could have been one of the biggest plays and highlights of Week 1 wasn't meant to be. Nussmeier lofted a deep ball to Jason Brownlee , who had gotten behind the defense, but it got broken up at the last moment (or, depending on your vantage point, dropped). Nussmeier is behind Patrick Mahomes and Justin Fields in the pecking orde [... truncated ...]
Kyle Williams is impressing in Patriots' preseason with his release moves and speed, making a case for an expanded role
Drops: Behren Morton
Adds: Behren Morton
Drake Maye enters his third season as the Patriots' franchise quarterback after leading the team to the Super Bowl last season. Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and Maye aim to build on their success, with enhanced offensive support including new acquisitions A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs. Tommy DeVito is set as the primary backup
The New England Patriots concluded their mandatory minicamp with a highly competitive practice. Wide receiver A.J. Brown was a standout, catching two touchdowns from Drake Maye, including a highlight-reel play. Backup quarterbacks Tommy DeVito and Behren Morton struggled with accuracy, ending the session with multiple incompletions
The New England Patriots have officially signed their first-round draft pick, offensive tackle Caleb Lomu, to a four-year rookie contract. Lomu, selected 28th overall, is expected to compete for playing time on the offensive line
With Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson atop their depth chart, the New England Patriots field one of the most promising running back tandems in football. The depth behind the two is far from settled, however, which prompted the team to invest its second-to-last selection in the draft — pick No. 245 in the seventh round — in another RB: Jam Miller out of the University of Alabama. Only a few days after he heard his name called, Miller put his signature under a four-year, $4.5 million rookie contract that breaks down as follows. Base value: $4,504,940 Maximum value: TBD Guarantees: $124,940 Signing bonus: $124,940 2026 (age 22): Base salary: $885,000 Signing bonus: $31,235 Salary cap hit: $916,235 2027 (age 23): Base salary: $1,050,000 Signing bonus: $31,235 Salary cap hit: $1,081,235 2028 (age 24): Base salary: $1,165,000 Signing bonus: $31,235 Salary cap hit: $1,196,235 2029 (age 25): Base salary: $1,280,000 Signing bonus: $31,235 Salary cap hit: $1,311,235 Miller’s contract is structured exactly like those the Patriots’ other late-round picks received. The base salaries are equivalent to the the veteran minimums for each of those seasons, with no part of them guaranteed. The only difference between Miller’s deal and, for example, the one signed by quarterback Behren Morton is that the latter received a higher signing bonus due to being drafted 11 spots earlier in the seventh round. Whereas Morton’s bonus is worth $149,228, Miller’s comes in at $124,940 prorated over four annual portions hitting the salary cap at $31,235 each. That $124,940 number, which has already been paid, will remain on the Patriots’ books regardless of Miller’s outlook. It either will be part of his cap number each season, or count as dead money in case he gets cut
Even though they have MVP runner-up Drake Maye as their starter, the New England Patriots opted to spend a selection in this year’s NFL Draft at the quarterback position. Of course, seventh-rounder Behren Morton was not brought aboard to challenge Maye, but rather as a potential developmental backup. His status as the 234th pick in the draft naturally reflects this, as does the four-year rookie contract he signed with the Patriots shortly after getting selected. Base value: $4,529,228 Maximum value: TBD Guarantees: $149,228 Signing bonus: $149,228 2026 (age 24): Base salary: $885,000 Signing bonus: $37,307 Salary cap hit: $922,307 2027 (age 25): Base salary: $1,050,000 Signing bonus: $37,307 Salary cap hit: $1,087,307 2028 (age 26): Base salary: $1,165,000 Signing bonus: $37,307 Salary cap hit: $1,202,307 2029 (age 27): Base salary: $1,280,000 Signing bonus: $37,307 Salary cap hit: $1,317,307 Morton’s deal looks like others we have discussed previously . His salary each season is the equivalent of the veteran’s minimum at the position relative to experience, while the only guarantee in the pact is the $149,228 signing bonus that is prorated over its four-year span. Should Morton get released at some point, that bonus would remain on New England ’s books as dead cap. At the moment, it also is the sole trace the 24-year-old leaves on the Patriots’ salary cap: with his 2026 cap hit of $922,307 not high enough to qualify for Top 51 status, he currently counts only $37,307 against the team’s books. Needless to say, Morton is a low-cost investment whose contractual structure would not prevent the team from parting ways with him
TEAM TALK Key Dates on the 2026 NFL and Patriots calendar . Next up: Patriots OTA May 27, 29. Roster Moves: Patriots sign DT Travis Shaw , release LS Niko Lalos. Mike Dussault hears from Alabama coaches on how RB Jam Miller brings all-phase value to the backfield. Paul Perillo writes how 7th-round pick Behren Morton is no stranger to following in the footsteps of some great quarterbacks and will look to do the same in New England . Patriots Catch-22: 2026 schedule breakdown, OTA preview , latest buzz. (2 hours) LOCAL LINKS Karen Guregian notes that teams who lose the Super Bowl often turn into easy road kill the following season. The Patriots don’t want to fall into that trap. Mark Daniels finds WR Kyle Williams ready for bigger role, and expecting a ‘night and day’ leap in the offense. Ethan Hurwitz writes about how Kyle Williams underwent a major offseason transformation , intentionally getting a bit bigger. Alex Barth looks at the signing of rookie nose tackle Travis Shaw ahead of OTAs. “At 6-foot-5, 334 pounds Shaw is a true nose tackle, a role the Patriots did not address in free agency or the draft this offseason, after losing Khyiris Tonga in free agency.” Mark Daniels explains how by signing All-Pro safety Kevin Byard , the team also set up a situation to help young safety Craig Woodson as well. Karen Guregian talks with safety Craig Woodson on the swings in his confidence his rookie season and how it all changed in the postseason. “It gave me a lot of confidence knowing that I can play at a high level with the best guys on the field, and I just want to keep building on that.” Patriots Daily podcast: Taylor Kyles and Mike Kadlick consider potential breakout candidates for Patriots this season. (26 min.) Patriots Daily podcast: Taylor Kyles and Mike Kadlick discuss how Drake Maye can be even better in 2026. NATIONAL NEWS Albert Breer (SI) NFL Notes: What’s next for Brendan Sorsby if he loses his injunction; Plus, the league’s push for flag football leagues and more. Jonathan Jones (CBS Sports) Inside NFL owners meetings: International Super Bowl talk, Rashee Rice fallout, Seahawks sale buzz; More. Bill Barnwell (ESPN) 2026 Offseason: AFC teams’ best and worst deals, picks . Patriots Best: Continuing to hit the offensive line. Worst: Swapping out K’Lavon Chaisson for Dre’Mont Jones . /Click for more . Albert Breer (SI) NFL Mailbag: Why the Browns are giving Deshaun Watson a chance to start; Plus, the NFL playing internationally, the Vikings’ GM search and more. Ali Bhanpuri & Tom Blair (NFL.com) Predicting every game, final record for each AFC team. Pats: 8-9 and will not make the playoffs. /Click for more depressing commentary . Greg Auman , et al (Fox Sports) Win-loss predictions , analysis for every team. Patriots: 10-7. /Click for commentary . Henry McKenna (Fox Sports) Playoff predictions from Wild-Card round to Super Bowl LXI. Patriots finish 7th in the AFC. Wild Card round: Bengals over Patriots. /I’ll believe that when I see it, lol . Henry McKenna (Fox Sports) 4 Observations after the 2026 NFL schedule release. 1. You will have ample excuses to avoid your family during the holidays. Patrick Daugherty (NBC Sports) 2026 NFL GM rankings: Analysis for all 32 teams. No. 13 Eliot Wolf. Jamison Hensley (ESPN) When NFL owners get involved with football decisions , results are mixed. Eric Edholm (NFL.com) Each NFL team’s next best Hall of Fame candidate . Patriots: Bill Belichick
The Patriots have signed five of their 2026 draft picks: CB Karon Prunty, OT Dametrious Crownover, LB Namdi Obiazor, QB Behren Morton, and RB Jam Miller. Four picks, including first-round OT Caleb Lomu, remain unsigned
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