The New England Patriots have a Tom Brady problem. He’s gone. And while there has been no shortage of hype surrounding Jarrett Stidham (at least at first) and then Cam Newton, Bill Belichick is going to actually have to replace Brady, a six-time Super Bowl champion and arguably the greatest quarterback of all time.
The good news is that Belichick has put together serviceable quarterbacking performances when New England was without Brady over the last 20 years. Matt Cassel, Jimmy Garoppolo and Jacoby Brissett all managed to win games while taking over in Brady’s absence. That’s probably why the hype has grown so quickly about Stidham and Newton. Belichick just has a way of making things work — and, in turn, winning football games.
So here’s a look at the quarterbacks Belichick will use to move on from Brady.
Cam Newton
He’s the favorite to win the job. Hopefully, everyone’s had a moment to come to an agreement on that. As bad as he was in 2019, he was terrific in 2018, with one of his most efficient seasons (67.9) and he was an MVP in 2015. He’s also been to a Super Bowl, and even though Belichick will claim that sort of experience doesn’t matter to him, it does. Super Bowl experience, particularly for a quarterback, shows a track record of success and preparation. Newton has the necessary work ethic to handle Belichick’s demands.
The Patriots have the right group of skill players to surround Newton. They have Newton in a situation where he’ll be doing everything within his power to succeed, in part because he wants to prove the Panthers wrong and in part because his one-year contract will make him a free agent in 2021. But that deal is also why, if Newton’s injuries prove problematic, the Patriots might move on quickly. That’s basically the only thing that will get in the way of him excelling in New England.
Jarrett Stidham
In the event Newton’s body looks run down, Stidham will be the next man to get a crack at the job. Though we haven’t seen much from him except a solid preseason performance in 2019, it’s easy to imagine Stidham isn’t ready to win the job. The most obvious indicator is that the Patriots signed Newton. But it would also make sense that a fourth round pick would need more than one year to acclimate to the NFL. Most fourth-round quarterbacks never pan out. But a player like Stidham, who had high upside with a low floor, seemed like a particularly tricky project player. The Patriots may need another year to get him ready — if he’ll ever be ready.
Brian Hoyer
The veteran journeyman looked like he was a prime position to win the starting job, but the arrival of Newton could spell disaster for Hoyer. Before Newton, Hoyer looked to be the backup, at worst. With Newton in the mix, Hoyer is in danger of getting cut. That isn’t to say he will get cut. Hoyer still has a chance to win the starting job, and even if he falls to third string (which is probably the most likely outcome), he may still make the roster.
If the Patriots to elect to keep the offense they have in place, Hoyer knows it better than any of the other quarterbacks. Considering how limited the offseason has been during the pandemic, his preexisting knowledge could prove paramount. If the offense changes to fit Newton, Hoyer still has value. Newton’s health is more tenuous than most quarterbacks. If he were to get hurt and Stidham didn’t look ready, then the Patriots might be happy to have a third quarterback like Hoyer.
J’Mar Smith
Though he seems like a solid developmental option, he is an undrafted free agent and is likely to spend his season on New England’s practice squad. In his final season at Louisiana Tech, Smith had a 64.3 completion percentage with 2,977 passing yards, 18 touchdowns and five interceptions.
Brian Lewerke
He’s the longest of longshots to make the team. Lewerke will spend training camp trying to convince the Patriots to give him — and not Smith — a practice squad spot. But Lewerke is a seemingly inferior prospect, with a weaker arm and a not-so-impressive college career.
