New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has insisted that his team do not want to trade quarterback Ryan Mallett.

There has been much speculation over the future of the 25-year-old as he enters the final year of his contract with the Patriots, who drafted Jimmy Garoppolo in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft as a potential successor to Mallett and starter Tom Brady.

"That's not really something that we're that interested in," Belichick told SiriusXM NFL Radio. "Ryan's done a good job for us.

"Fortunately for us, but unfortunately for him, he hasn't really had any playing time in the last three years. But he's improved tremendously as a quarterback and as a football player, and we've got a lot of confidence in him."

Mallett has thrown just four passes in his three years with Belichick's side.