As Tom Brady is no longer a member of the New England Patriots, New England will begin to think of the future as a quarterback. So far, Jarrett Stidham appears to be a leading candidate for the job. One of the most important questions for the season is whether or not to start all 16 games.
New England should definitely go in that direction. The Patriots have two undrafted free agents, J’Mar Smith and Brian Lewerke, and veteran Brian Hoyer in the quarterback room. If Stidham gets hurt, the organization has options for taking the charge on the job in 2020. Beyond that, it would be hard to say that there is a viable starting depth that will put New England in a position to succeed in the future.
At a minimum, New England has to see what Stidham can do. If he’s struggling in his first season, then you can have a conversation about bringing in a quarterback or using one from the organization as Stidham continues to develop. However, sitting him on the bench for next season behind Brian Hoyer would be a mistake.
Stidham should at least have a chance to find every aspect of an NFL season. From the ups and downs to everything in between, that will help you develop and become a better quarterback every day. Sometimes the results or events in a particular game may not be pretty. However, it’s all part of the growing pains the former Patriots coach hinted at Dante Scarnecchia earlier this week. How else is the organization going to know what they have in the former Auburn star if they don’t at least give it a season to start?
NFL writer Albert Breer addressed this question in his mail bag on Wednesday. He believes Stidham will start all 16 games for the Patriots in 2020.
“He has a very low injury history. And I think when the chips are down, the Patriots will want to see what they have in their 23-year-old quarterback, because they feel like there’s something to work with from a talent standpoint. Now, maybe it’s a train wreck at camp, and Bill Belichick is looking for reinforcements in August. But I think they are more likely to overcome any obstacles that come up with Jarrett Stidham. “
“Why? Well, because this is a year to restart in New England. They carry dead money. They are restoring finances. They will trust some younger players than they are used to leaning on some key points (particularly the linebacker, catcher and tight end.) And so it makes sense that as part of that they give Stidham a great opportunity to develop and show that he is worthy of being Tom Brady’s successor. “
For the record, Stidham has appeared in three games and has two endings to his name. At 14 yards and an interception, he doesn’t exactly have a high resume. Of course, the quarterback room has changed dramatically in New England. After playing behind Brady for a season, it should be Stidham’s time to shine.
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