The uncertainty of the Patriots quarterback position has been THE story in New England for more than a year.
Last winter the talk was about a single man – Tom Brady. It was the classic Clash-like question: would he stay or would he go?
Now, with Brady having already brought a Lombardi Trophy to his new home in Tampa Bay, the story of the New England quarterback job is about seemingly every other endless name available.
It’s a question that somehow simultaneously has no answer and endless answers.
Trade up in the draft for a young stud like BYU’s Zach Wilson, because it won’t take nearly what you think to get it done! At least that’s what some people think.
Should have offered more than a reported second-round pick for proven passer Matthew Stafford, although he didn’t have the work ethic for New England anyway. So said some.
Jameis Winston is the guy with correctable upside if he doesn’t re-sign in New Orleans.
Better yet, assuming the 49ers can find an upgrade from a guy who led their team to the Super Bowl barely more than a year ago, bring Jimmy Garoppolo back to rekindle Bill Belichick’s original Brady succession plan! This is the way.
Of late, less palatable options have settled into the endless media speculation such as keeping the status quo – AKA another year of Cam Newton after a season in which the threw an almost inexplicably-low five TD passes in his first fall in Foxborough – or bringing aboard fellow former Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota. Oh how the once-mighty have fallen. Cheap guys with upside, or so they say!
But one name has been noticeably and curiously absent from the 2021 quarterback discussion. Funny, because it was less than a year ago that he was the hottest name in New England’s passing game projections.
He also happens to be the only quarterback actually under contract with the Patriots for next season – Jarrett Stidham.
Remember when the former fourth-round pick headed toward his second NFL season as the projected starter and heir to Brady?
Remember when Belichick chose not to sign a QB during last spring’s free agent flurry of activity, forgoing the likes of Winston, Andy Dalton and others? Didn’t take one in the draft either, passing on Jordan Love and others?
Remember when ESPN fueled the Stidham narrative by reporting that the Patriots “love Jarrett Stidham”?
Hell, remember as recently as the months of November and December when almost every New England fan and media member clamored to see Stidham play as Newton stumbled, bumbled and one-hop passed his way down the stretch for a Patriots team that was aimlessly bobbing along toward its first playoff-free winter since 2008?
Apparently, everyone is in a COVID fog these days, because Stidham is truly the forgotten man in Foxborough. All because he didn’t start a single game in 2020. Didn’t earn Belichick’s attention, trust or playing time, save for mop-up duty. Didn’t, as some would tell it, do enough on the practice field even though teammates who might know have expressed great hope for the young backup.
The reality is that like it or not, Stidham should legitimately be a candidate for the Patriots 2021 quarterback job.
Why?
Come closer and squint those eyes to read this real clearly– because there really aren’t any sure fire better options!
For all his admirable abilities off the field and fun nicknames, Newton simply looked like a guy who can’t throw the ball at an NFL level anymore. Sadly, it is what it is.
Mariota may have had one decent game for the Raiders last fall, but that doesn’t wipe out his dismal career with the Titans.
Trading up in the draft may sound like a great idea – I’m all for it in theory– but is Belichick really going to win a bidding war that would likely take far more than people think and far more than this year’s No. 15 pick to get up to take a stud? Seems unlikely.
It’s also sounding like Garoppolo is more and more unlikely to leave San Francisco and even if he does, his no-trade clause will allow him to decide his own future. Are we sure he wants a return to Gillette? Are we also sure he’s more than an injury-prone mediocre talent who needs to be surrounded by playmakers to succeed?
That brings us back to Stidham the once and maybe once-again heir to Brady.
Is it that hard to explain away why he didn’t get the job a year ago when Newton fell into the Patriots’ lap for the NFL QB contract equivalent of nothing?
We all know that Belichick is a big believer that a young NFL player’s biggest jump comes between his rookie and second season. That full year in the program is the foundation upon which success is built.
Except in the most important offseason of his career – with the opportunity/curse of following Brady at hand – Stidham didn’t get an offseason. COVID created a world in which he virtually had no chance to improve and build upon a rookie year that saw him earn the backup job as a mid-round pick with potential.
So isn’t it at least possible that Belichick knew the combination of no offseason to speak of, no real training camp and no preseason games combined with a Patriots roster with essentially no weapons to throw to would be a recipe for a career- and confidence-killing disaster for Stidham?
Sure, it’s also possible Stidham failed to take the opportunity bull by the horns last summer, as some have reported. Or maybe it was just a perfect storm of factors – including a minor August injury – that converged to stunt his expected development.
Now, though, with the Patriots still without an answer at quarterback and him with another year under his NFL belt, maybe it’s time to return to the Stidham story in New England.
Don’t force a pick at No. 15 in the draft for a guy like suspect Alabama prospect Mac Jones.
Don’t use salary cap or trade assets to get a bridge guy. Save that for the rest of a roster that needs more attention at more spots than maybe some people want to admit.
Don’t look any harder or further than necessary to find the next guy in line at the New England quarterback spot.
He might be right under your nose. Where he’s been all along.
Stidham at least deserves an open-minded shot to compete for the job. To prove once and for all whether he can play or not.
Especially since, and I hate to be the bearer of bad news here, there really aren’t any obvious better options right now. Even with all the “options” that are “available.”
It’s time to stoke up the Jarrett Stidham story once again.
