FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Barring an unexpected late change, the New England Patriots are not planning to have injured quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo in uniform for Thursday night's home game against the Houston Texans, according to a source close to the situation.
Garoppolo, who sprained the AC joint in his right throwing shoulder on Sunday, was officially listed as doubtful on the team's injury report. That means he's unlikely to play, but one line of thinking was that perhaps he could still dress and serve as an emergency option.
But the Patriots, at this time, aren't planning to take that course with Garoppolo.
That would leave the club with just one quarterback on its game-day roster: rookie Jacoby Brissett. The third-round draft pick from NC State replaced Garoppolo in Sunday's win over the Miami Dolphins and has worked as the starter in the days leading up to Thursday's game.
Julian Edelman, who played quarterback at Kent State before the Patriots switched him to receiver in 2009 after drafting him in the seventh round, would likely be the team's top emergency option. Texans coach Bill O'Brien said earlier this week that he remembers Edelman working at quarterback at times in practice during O'Brien's tenure as a Patriots assistant.
There is the possibility that the Patriots could still sign a free-agent quarterback before Thursday's game, though that would seemingly be a long shot. The club had quarterback T.J. Yates in for a workout earlier in the week and quarterback Sean Renfree in for a visit.
