New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick may be a mad man in the science lab, but don’t think for one second he isn’t mulling over a proper Plan B option as a precaution to the Jarrett Stidham experiment blowing up in his face.
Not even goggles, latex gloves and a long-sleeved hoodie would save him from wearing the stench from that sort of explosion.
Belichick had every opportunity to come to terms on an extension with longtime star quarterback Tom Brady. At the very least, Brady’s presence would have given the team more time to plan for the future, while also giving them a legitimate shot at competing in the present. Belichick could have also been more aggressive in the 2020 NFL Draft by selecting one of the top-tier options at quarterback, but he chose to use his first-round pick to trade back in an effort to acquire more draft capital.
Any doubts of his belief in the former fourth-round pick out of Auburn University should be dead in the water at this point. Even after losing the greatest quarterback in NFL history, it’s still business as usual for the Patriots organization.
But that all could change if Stidham stinks it up on the football field.
The Patriots are flying by the seat of their pants of an uncertain 2020 season. If things take a turn for the worse, Belichick will change directions faster than he can say “Stid.” Here are some emergency options if Plan A implodes.
Let the ship sink for Trevor Lawrence
This is the most un-Belichick choice on the list, but it doesn’t make it any less of a possibility. The Patriots could always throw in the towel on the 2020 season. Imagine Belichick standing idly by as the violins play and his championship fleet sinks.
It would almost be as bad as a head coach benching one of his best defensive players in a Super Bowl and losing the game because of it—oh, wait.
Unless another Joe Burrow emerges, it’s safe to assume Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence will be the coveted prize in the 2021 NFL Draft. That sort of generational talent paired with the likes of Belichick is the nightmare that keeps 31 other teams up at night. It would give the Patriots a legit shot at rebooting the championship juggernaut with a fresh, young face as the centerpiece.
Make no mistake, Stidham succeeding as the leading man would be a huge win for Belichick. Just don’t expect to see the lifeboats coming if things take a disastrous turn.
Dak Prescott
Strong leadership, limits turnovers, takes what the defense gives him—Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott fits the mold perfectly for the Patriots.
With the Cowboys recently signing Andy Dalton to a one-year deal, Prescott’s future in Dallas suddenly isn’t so certain. The unsigned $31.4 million franchise tender still sitting on the negotiating table likely pushed the Cowboys to move quickly on another quarterback.
A source is claiming the contrary, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, but the move is a bit too convenient not to raise suspicion.
If talks between the two sides continue to fall flat, it could present a situation where the Cowboys trade Prescott for something rather than nothing. It would also create an opportunity for Belichick to swoop right in and steal a potential franchise quarterback.
A one-year rental for Prescott would be the perfect scenario for the Patriots to see if they’re willing to tie the knot long-term.
Cam Newton
One of the biggest offseason surprises is the fact that it’s the month of May, and former NFL MVP Cam Newton still doesn’t have a job.
The Patriots were among many teams that were tied to him, but nothing ever materialized outside of the typical rumors and conjecture. Some have considered Newton a bad fit for the team due to his unique personality potentially clashing with Belichick’s straight-laced coaching style.
But those opinions fail to consider the fact that Belichick has gone after flamboyant personalities in the past with players like Rob Gronkowski, Randy Moss and Chad Johnson.
So we can stop with the assumption that the Patriots coach is some frumpy, purist that isn’t willing to take on big personalities.
Newton comes with injury concerns, but given the right situation, he is talented enough to scale the quarterback ranks back into the elite category. Perhaps a brilliant football mind like Belichick is exactly what the 30-year-old needs to turn back the clock.
Jacoby Brissett
The Patriots would have loved to have Jimmy Garoppolo in this spot, but the San Francisco 49ers were smart enough not to gift their star quarterback back to the same team they fleeced for him in the first place.
Belichick has a long history of turning to familiar faces in times of need, and the Indianapolis Colts’ soon-to-be backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett fits that requirement. By bringing in longtime veteran Philip Rivers, the Colts are basically saying they don’t trust Brissett behind the wheel. The Patriots selected the 27-year-old quarterback in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft before shipping him to Indy in a trade a year later.
Brissett isn’t a game-changing option at the position, but he is an incredibly efficient player that won’t beat himself. As a 15-game starter in 2019, he finished the season with the Colts with 2,942 passing yards, 18 touchdowns and six interceptions.
That sort of reliable decision-maker on the field would pair nicely with Belichick’s monstrous defense.
Desperation trade for Mitch Trubisky
We’ve reached severe levels of desperation at this point.
Belichick has a long history of being the lead Renaissance man behind so many derailed hype trains that have somehow found their way back on the tracks in New England. Even Matt Cassel had a breakout season behind center for the Patriots back in 2008, after Brady went down with a knee injury.
Perhaps an erratic player like Chicago Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky could find new life as a Patriot. Yes, I’m talking about the same Trubisky that was somehow drafted ahead of elite talents like Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson.
The Bears owned up to their mistake by declining the fifth-year option on the 25-year-old quarterback’s contract. They also went out and acquired Nick Foles in a trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars. If Belichick is insistent on bargain-bin hunting, Trubisky could be there for the taking.
It’s easy to forget he put together a Pro Bowl season and helped lead the Bears to the playoffs in 2018.
