Team owner Robert Kraft may be hopeful of Tom Brady starting the 2015 season opener, but the New England Patriots aren't taking any chances.
Multiple media sources are reporting that the Patriots have signed veteran quarterback Matt Flynn, likely as insurance in the event that Brady's appeal of his four-game suspension for his involvement in Deflategate doesn't eliminate the suspension. ESPN was the first to report the transaction.
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The Patriots announced Thursday that they released quarterback Garrett Gilbert.
Brady faces a June 23 meeting with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to plead his case over the 12 deflated balls discovered at halftime of the AFC Championship Game against the Indianapolis Colts. Despite a Wells Report conclusion that Brady knew about the Patriots staff deflating balls, the quarterback still denies involvement in the incident.
Owner Robert Kraft says he's "hopeful" Tom Brady will play in the season opener
Flynn appears to be a plan to back up Jimmy Garoppolo, should he be elevated to starting quarterback in the event that Brady has to serve any or all of his suspension after meeting with Goodell.
"Flynn has spent six of his seven NFL seasons in Green Bay, but the Packers made no effort to re-sign him this offseason," NFL.com reported. "Green Bay saw more to work with in Scott Tolzien, but the Patriots aren't looking for a savior. Flynn is a hard-working veteran who gives New England another camp arm.
"It's been years, though, since Flynn has produced positive game tape, largely because his arm strength has spiraled into the abyss. That said, the free-agent market for veteran arms is a graveyard, leaving Flynn as the top choice of a very mediocre bunch."
Earlier in the week, Kraft said he was "hopeful" of having Brady start the season opener, stirring speculation that he may have made a deal with Goodell not to fight the penalties against the Patriots for Deflategate - a $1million fine and the loss of two draft choices, including a first-rounder in 2016 - in exchange for the dismissal of Brady's suspension.
That theory seems iffy in the wake of the Patriots' acquisition of Flynn.
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