Report: Jacoby Brissett will start for Patriots vs. Bills, Julian Edelman to be the backup

With both of the New England Patriots’ quarterbacks dealing with separate injuries, it was unknown who would start against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. Jimmy Garoppolo was reportedly going to get the nod, but that won’t be the case.

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, rookie Jacoby Brissett will start at quarterback. Garoppolo won’t even be active, giving way to Julian Edelman as the backup.

Regarding Garoppolo’s shoulder injury, it was believed to be a pain-tolerance issue. That doesn’t appear to be the case, however. Mike Garafolo of NFL Network suggests he hasn’t regained strength in his shoulder, which is preventing him from playing on Sunday.

This will be Brissett’s second career start after leading the Patriots to a dominant win over the Texans last week. He’s completed 17 of 28 passes this season for 195 yards. He doesn’t have a touchdown pass or interception, though he has found the end zone on the ground.

Brissett has been dealing with an injury of his own as he hurt his thumb in the Week 3 win. Gripping and throwing a football doesn’t appear to be an issue, though, which is a good sign.

With Tom Brady returning next week, it’s conceivable that Garoppolo has taken his last snap of the season.