The New England Patriots traded quarterback Jacoby Brissett to the Indianapolis Colts for wide receiver Phillip Dorsett on Saturday.
The Colts are uncertain about quarterback Andrew Luck's status for Week 1 after offseason shoulder surgery. Scott Tolzien is expected to start if Luck isn't able to play against the Los Angeles Rams.
The 5-foot-10, 185-pound Dorsett was a 2015 first-round draft choice of the Colts (29th overall). He has played in 26 regular-season games (seven starts), totaling 51 catches for 753 yards and 3 touchdowns.
While he fielded just two punts for the Colts during the past two seasons, that is likely a role the Patriots will explore with him after they lost receiver Julian Edelman and No. 2 returner Cyrus Jones to season-ending knee injuries this preseason.
Dorsett was one of the fastest players in the 2015 draft, having tallied 121 receptions for 2,132 yards and 17 touchdowns at the University of Miami. His 22.3 yards per catch average in his final two collegiate seasons was the most in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
Dorsett's tenure in Indianapolis didn't unfold as projected based on his draft status. He was drafted by former general manager Ryan Grigson. When the Colts hired Chris Ballard as their new GM this year, Dorsett lost one of his primary backers in the organization.
As for Brissett, the Patriots selected him in the third round of the 2016 draft out of NC State. He started and played all 66 snaps in the team's preseason finale against the Giants, going 28-of-39 for 341 yards, with 4 touchdowns and 1 interception. He also rushed for a touchdown. The Patriots have Tom Brady and Jimmy Garoppolo ahead of Brissett on the depth chart, and while they kept three quarterbacks last season, the chance to add Dorsett at a dual position of need (receiver/returner) was obviously viewed as fair value by the club.
Brissett filled in admirably as a starter in the third game of the 2016 regular season when Brady was serving an NFL suspension and Garoppolo was lost to a shoulder injury. He led the Patriots to a 27-0 victory over the Houston Texans that day.
This is the second time this year that the Colts and Patriots have completed a trade. The Colts traded tight end Dwayne Allen to the Patriots in the offseason.