Patriots' Jarrett Stidham: Backup role on tap

Stidham is expected to remain in a backup role for the Patriots' Week 6 game against the Broncos after Cam Newton was activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list Wednesday, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com reports.

With that, Newton is in line to start Sunday, leaving either Stidham or Brian Hoyer to dress as the No. 2 quarterback. Though he was inactive for New England's first three games, Stidham may have moved ahead of Hoyer on the depth chart after the latter struggled mightily while starting in place of Newton in the Patriots' Week 4 loss to the Chiefs. Hoyer completed 15 of 24 attempts for 130 yards and an interception before being removed from the game late in the third quarter in favor of Stidham.