The New England Patriots have been a true dynasty in the NFL under head coach Bill Belichick and former Hall-of-Fame quarterback Tom Brady. The quarterback position has been a tremendous strength for this team since Brady was drafted in the 2000 NFL Draft. New England won six Super Bowls under Brady under a model of extreme consistency and success.
However, Brady and the Patriots parted ways before the 2020 season. As a result, that success and consistent play fell by the wayside. They will be looking to restore that consistency to the offense through free agency and the 2021 NFL Draft. The team signed Cam Newton as a replacement and the former league MVP accounted for eight passing scores and 10 interceptions in a disastrous year for the Patriots.
New England looks unlikely to re-sign Newton for the 2021 campaign and instead look at alternatives under center. Take a look below at some of the options that the Patriots face this offseason in their quest to find the long-term answer at the quarterback position.
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Looking at Patriots offseason
With Newton out the door, quarterback remains at the top of the needs list for the Patriots. Unfortunately, however, as they pick 15th overall in the draft, they will likely be out of reach of the big four quarterbacks in Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence, Ohio State’s Justin Fields, North Dakota State’s Trey Lance, and Brigham Young’s Zach Wilson.
With that being said, the Patriots are going to have to get creative in order to land their new quarterback of the future. Here are three avenues they could take this offseason to solve their crisis.
Option #1 – Trade for Matthew Stafford
With Brady off to play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this offseason, the Patriots were left with a huge void to fill. For the first time in over a decade, the Patriots chose an outsider at QB in 2020. While Cam Newton did not work out, the team could look at veteran help again to solve their issues in 2021. There could be a multitude of veteran QB options available via trade and free agency such as Houston’s Deshaun Watson, New York’s Sam Darnold, and Detroit’s Matthew Stafford.
Watson is the biggest name here, but he has already been linked to the Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, and even the Carolina Panthers. A swap between Houston and New York could include both Watson and Darnold, leaving Stafford as the lone viable candidate. As a gifted former top pick, Stafford has not experienced much postseason success with Detroit and may be looking to join forces with Bill Belichick for a last gasp chance at a Super Bowl run.
Stafford is entering his age-32 season in 2021 and has two years remaining on his contract with the Lions. With a new coach entering the fold, the team may be looking at a massive rebuild, including a new quarterback. Before 2021, the Lions seemed unwilling to move their former top pick, but a package of draft capital to jumpstart their rebuild would be an enticing offer for Detroit. With Stafford in New England, the Patriots’ offense receives a boost and makes them a contender to get back to the playoffs in 2021.
Option #2 – Draft Alabama’s Mac Jones in 1st Round of 2021 NFL Draft
The second option includes the first look into the 2021 NFL Draft for the Patriots. The team may be in a tough spot with the 15th overall pick since most of the top options will presumably be off the board. Players such as Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence, Ohio State’s Justin Fields, BYU’s Zach Wilson, and even North Dakota State’s Trey Lance could be taken before the middle of the first round. This reality may force the Patriots to look towards the next tier of QB hopefuls.
One of those next-tier prospects is Alabama’s 2020 breakout star and National Championship-winning quarterback, Mac Jones. Jones is a player that patiently bided his time behind other Crimson Tide stars such as Tua Tagovailoa and Jalen Hurts. This season, Jones stepped out of the shadows and into the Alabama single-season record books. His 4,500 passing yards in 2020 were the most all-time for any Alabama quarterback.
This impressive campaign puts Jones solely in the mix to become the 5th or 6th QB taken in the 2021 NFL Draft. While the 15th pick may be a stretch for some, Jones is smart, accurate, and fits the prototype for a Tom Brady-Esque QB in the Patriots organization. Another factor to consider here is the relationship between Belichick and Alabama headman Nick Saban. Taking that bond into account, Jones makes a ton of sense as the New England signal-caller moving forward.
Option #3 – Start Stidham and draft QB in middle rounds
During Tom Brady’s tenure with the Patriots, the team did a tremendous job of developing significant quarterback talent behind the future Hall of Famer. However, players like Matt Cassel, Jimmy Garoppolo, and Jacoby Brissett eventually became trade assets for the team as Brady’s tenure carried on. The talent in the Patriots’ QB room has thinned out considerably since Brady’s departure. Now New England could be scrambling for an answer for the second year in a row. Incumbent Patriots’ backup QB Jarrett Stidham could bridge the gap until New England finds a suitable long-term replacement.
The Cam Newton era was a major disappointment in 2020 and appears over before it even started. The Patriots could be looking for his immediate or long-term replacement in the middle to late rounds of the 2021 NFL Draft. Those potential options include Texas’ Sam Ehlinger, Mississippi State’s K.J. Costello, and Memphis’ Brady White. Beginning from round three on, New England will be looking for their next Tom Brady and the future of this once proud Patriots’ dynasty.
All three options in the 2021 NFL Draft are at least 6-foot-3 with the prototypical size that the Patriots seem to covet. Ehlinger is the most exciting of the group, as one of the top passers in the history of Texas Longhorns football. He is the second all-time leading passer in terms of both yards and touchdowns behind only Colt McCoy. Ehlinger also has underrated speed and can score additional touchdowns with his legs when the pocket and integrity of a play break down. He will get a chance to prove his worth at the Senior Bowl later this month.