The Patriots learned the hard way last year the importance of Brady’s backup. Matt Cassel salvaged a Brady-less season that appeared over before it began, leading the Patriots to an 11-5 mark. With Cassel now with the Chiefs, it is second-year signal-caller Kevin O’Connell and five-year veteran Andrew Walter who would be one snap away should disaster befall Brady again.
No one is hoping for such an occurrence, but Brady acknowledged its possibility when asked if he was nervous about returning to the field.
“No, I’m not. I’m really not nervous about any of that,’’ he said. “I mean, if someone hits me in the exact same spot, I mean, the exact same thing is probably going to happen. You know, it’s part of football and you line up and you play and it’s a physical sport. I’ve been playing for a long time and nothing like that has ever happened, so I’ve just put it past me. I really have.’’
Brady doesn’t want to look behind him, but the Patriots must. O’Connell, a third-round pick in 2008, would appear to have the inside track on the understudy role. He inherited the No. 2 job last year when Cassel ascended to starter. However, O’Connell has been inconsistent - and at times inaccurate - during training camp, perhaps prompting the team to bring in Walter, a former Raider who was signed Aug. 3.
“I put the most pressure on myself out of anybody just because I want to go out and do well and I hold myself to a high standard,’’ said O’Connell. “I think it’s just another chance to be in a competitive situation and be as successful as possible and learn from the things that come about in this game and apply them to the next.’’
O’Connell may be a callow QB by NFL standards, but he has more experience in the system than any of the other contenders for backup jobs. Walter has only been practicing with the team since Aug. 4, and the fourth quarterback, Brian Hoyer, is an undrafted rookie from Michigan State.
That’s why Walter tried to downplay the idea of competition at this point.
