Jarrett Stidham’s streak atop the New England Patriots’ depth chart has lasted longer than many expected. And it seems likely to continue.
After Tom Brady announced he was leaving to sign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Stidham immediately moved to the top of the depth chart. But it seemed with so many veteran quarterbacks in free agency and a handful of talented draft prospects available, the Patriots would introduce a legitimate competitor at some point during the offseason.
Free agency came and went. The Patriots added just quarterback Brian Hoyer, a signal-caller who has deep knowledge of New England’s system, even if his experience as a starter is fairly turbulent. Hoyer and Stidham had been in competition for Brady’s backup job in 2019 and Stidham won. By that same logic — and to some degree it’s flawed — Stidham should be the top quarterback in 2020. (The flaws in the logic: New England wanted to retain Stidham, a fourth-round pick, for the long term and knew it’d lose him to the waiver wire. The Patriots also thought they could re-sign Hoyer before the Colts came in with an offer that blew him away.)
The draft didn’t produce an obvious heir to Brady, with the Patriots adding two undrafted free agents: Louisiana Tech’s J’Mar Smith and Michigan State’s Brian Lewerke. Again, Stidham retained his standing.
So what’s next for the Patriots? Well, it seems like it’s Stidham time, especially after the Dallas Cowboys signed quarterback Andy Dalton and the Patriots made no effort to sign him, according to the MMQB.
Essentially, there are only two things that can stop Stidham from winning the job.
Signing Cam Newton
Newton would be a fun option for the Patriots. Considering Jameis Winston made $1.1 million and Andy Dalton made $3 million in base salaries, New England could probably lowball Newton and find a way to fit him under the cap for a year or two. That’s probably all they’d need from him while they figure out their quarterback of the future.
Perhaps it would seem like a drastic measure, with New England changing their offense in a big way to suit him. But that’s not exactly true. The tight ends the Patriots added in the draft, Devin Asiasi and Dalton Keene, would operate nicely in an offense for Newton. So would running backs James White, Rex Burkhead and Sony Michel.
If Newton’s physical showed messy medical information — and Newton has dealt with foot, rotator cuff, ankle, back and shoulder injuries — then the Patriots might bail. Otherwise, he could appeal.
The coronavirus pandemic
This goes beyond the obvious. Yes, if the NFL season doesn’t happen, then Stidham won’t play in 2020. And there will presumably be some sort of draft in 2021 for the NFL. That could open up the competition again.
But there’s a less obvious reason why the pandemic could impact Stidham. If there is an NFL season, one that’s shortened to some degree, that could also get in Stidham’s way. Hoyer is the safer bet as an NFL starter, because he’s already been one. He’s got years in the Patriots system (2009-2011, 2017-2018), which means he can run it. It also means the Patriots have years of practice film they can use to work with Hoyer on how to tailor the system to him. That’s not true for Stidham, who spent a developmental year in New England in 2019. Bill Belichick probably has a more limited sense of how to build around Stidham.
If organized team activities, training camp and preseason come together in a limited (or nonexistent) capacity, then Stidham will be at a disadvantage in his competition against Hoyer. And there’s a real possibility that there will be limitations due to the pandemic, even if the NFL is suggesting everything is on schedule.
Even with the off possibility that the Patriots could sign Newton or that COVID-19 could circumstantially give Hoyer an advantage, Stidham still seems like the odds-on favorite to start in Week 1.
