Patriots sign QB Kessler
The New England Patriots added to their quarterback room by signing free agent Cody Kessler to their 53-man roster Wednesday.
Kessler, 26, was in camp with the Philadelphia Eagles but was cut as the team went with Josh McCown and Nate Sudfeld as backups to Carson Wentz.
Kessler will serve with rookie Jarrett Stidham as insurance behind Tom Brady in New England. Stidham made his debut last week, when his third pass attempt was intercepted and returned for a touchdown in the Patriots' 30-14 victory over the New York Jets.
Kessler was a 2016 third-round pick out of Southern California, and he appeared in 12 games (eight starts) for the Cleveland Browns across the 2016 and 2017 seasons. The Browns sent him to Jacksonville in March 2018 for a conditional seventh-round pick, and he made four starts in five appearances for the Jaguars last season.
He has completed 224 of 349 passes (64.2 percent) for 2,215 yards, with eight touchdowns and five interceptions, in 17 career games.
The Patriots also announced they signed tight end Jason Vander Laan, 27, to their practice squad. He appeared in four games with the Indianapolis Colts in 2017 but did not catch a pass. Most recently, he was cut by the Carolina Panthers on Aug. 30.
--Field Level Media
