Jarrett Stidham will likely be taking over for Tom Brady next season, and his former college coach is optimistic that the 2019 fourth-rounder will be successful.
“It definitely helped him to learn under the best and see what that looks like, but he’s the kind of young man, too, this is what he’s been waiting on,” Auburn’s Gus Malzahn told ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “I’ll tell you, the moment won’t be too big for him. He’ll be up to the challenge, that’s what I expect.
“Even when he got here, before he played his first game, you could just kind of tell he was a mature young man. Like a gym rat, always at the complex trying to learn, study film. When he got drafted by the Patriots [in 2019], I thought it was a perfect spot for him system-wise — spreading the field. He’s so good with protections, changing protections, and scheme-wise everything that goes with it, and just the flexibility the scheme gives him. I think that really applies to his strength.”
Stidham played a pair of seasons at Auburn, including a 2017 campaign where he connected on 66.5-percent of his passes for 3,158 yards, 18 touchdowns, and six interceptions.
Here are some more notes out of New England:
- We’ve heard this plenty of times, but Joseph Person of The Athletic reiterates that Cam Newton won’t be landing with the Patriots. In fact, the reporter notes that Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels wasn’t “necessarily high” on Newton when he interviewed for the Panthers’ head coaching gig.
- Speaking of McDaniels, SI.com’s Albert Breer writes that a successful 2020 campaign (particularly from Stidham) could go a long way in the OC getting more head coaching interviews next offseason. If McDaniels does leave New England, Breer hints that he may take Patriots pro director Dave Ziegler with him; McDaniels planned to recruit the executive when he was interviewing with Cleveland.
- Patriots defensive end Chase Winovich is recovering from hernia surgery, reports Stan Grossfeld of the Boston Globe. The 25-year-old underwent the procedure back in February. The 2019 third-rounder had a solid rookie season for New England, compiling 26 tackles and 5.5 sacks.
- Marqise Lee‘s new one-year deal with the Patriots is worth the veteran minimum, reports Ben Volin of the Boston Globe (via Twitter). The deal could be worth up to $1.0475MM, and it includes $300K in guaranteed money. If Lee makes the team, he’ll have a cap hold of $887.5K.
This transition to a new QB is the window for Buffalo to win the division. It won’t be long before BB has the Patriots at the top again.
Nathan Peterman got a glowing endorsement from his college coach too…lol.
yeah, if he’s teaching how to throw interceptions
He threw 6 picks in the first half of his first career start right? I can’t remember exact numbers
*5
True, but he also got called up to play that game on a week’s notice with no practice because the team was so down on Tyrod Taylor, so I can’t say that I believe he got the best chance to succeed.
Ben,
Drink some coffee before you write. This season. How can this company employee clowns like this!
It’s ‘How can this company employ clowns like this(?)!’ actually.
Wow, this is ironic.
What are you specifically criticizing?
I think many teams will look hard at McDaniels character, after the fiasco with the Colts.
I think McDaniels is happy to have a 7 figure job for as long as Bill is HC rather than take full responsibility. He’ll never live down drafting Tim Tebow. Good guy, HoF college QB, but not cut out for the NFL and all pretty much knew it expect for Josh.
If the Patriots make the playoffs with THAT offense… McDaniels can go anywhere he wants.
No way the Pats top 6 wins this year.
Stidham and Hoyer aren’t the main issue on offense either.
That offense won the SB 2 years ago, and the AFC East last year. I’ll take Bill over the Fins, Jets, and Bills any Sunday.
It’s not in Bill’s DNA to ‘tank’ as speculated by many sites. He’s after Shula’s all time win record. Most certainly helped by Tom, but time to move on.
that offense had tom brady. they dont have tom brady this season. so there no way to know how the pats will do under a new QB.
Then Tom should have won ‘more’ last year, right? There’s isn’t a WR during Tom’s 20 year time in NE that’ll be in Canton. Moss was a short timer, and already had HoF numbers prior to his Pats’ time.
“There’s isn’t a WR during Tom’s 20 year time in NE that’ll be in Canton. Moss was a short timer, and already had HoF numbers prior to his Pats’ time.”
No fair pointing out how wrong you are mere seconds after saying something wrong. Save some work for the rest of us.
And Welker has an outside chance at the HoF (22nd all time with 903 catches, two First Team All Pro). And you are skating on a positional technicality with Gronk. Even Edelman has a chance (600 catches, will play several more years).
Your words ‘And Welker has an outside chance at the HoF’ Outside the key one. And Gronk isn’t a WR, a TE.
Patriots listed as 7 point favorites against Fins for the season opener JJ so are you going to double down?
The Patriots schedule is brutal. If they are favored in more than half a dozen games it will be a miracle. 6-10 or 7-9 looks like the best record for 2020.
Patriots had won 10 straight at home against Miami until last season. Average margin of victory in those games was 19.5 points.
Except that Miami got better and the Patriots got worst.
No problem taking the Pats over the Fins or the rest of the AFC East. They’re not putting 50 burgers anymore, but they’ll figure out how to win close ones.
Remember it was Bill who told the Giants to let T Thomas get 100+ yards in the SB so J Kelly won’t throw as much. Dude can dissect any coach better than I’ve ever seen.
The Bills defeated the Giants earlier in December with Kelly attempting just 11 passes so Bill’s advice looks a bit suspect there to me. It all came down to Scott Norwood anyway.
Yea, just like the NFL looks at the character of men beating kids with sticks, beating and knocking out women, drug use and so much more. Give me a break about character!
Those are league disciplinary issues. Nothing to do w integrity [or lack thereof] when it comes to a man’s word. McDaniels has shown he cannot be trusted.
What amazes me is how the narrative the last few years of Brady is he was washed up. Now the Pats move on and they can’t win. Funny how the Patriots haters can’t decide anything.
Great point! Haters gonna hate.
Bill had every opportunity to find a successor to Brady and the fact the time has come and his options are Stidham and Hoyer is comical. They can fawn all they want over a 4th round prospect, reality is its not that easy. Dak is the only 4th round pick recently to have any success. Drafting Drew Lock last year was their chance but instead Bill took a terrible WR N’Keal Harry.
Drew Lock looks like Beaver Cleaver and won’t be anyone’s savior. Bill’s fumble came in the 2018 draft when he chose Sony Michel instead of Lamar Jackson.
And Patrick Mahomes looks like Kermit the Frog. The only thing that matters is how they play football… and besides Leave it to Beaver was a very popular show.
Eddie Haskell was the real star of that show. He went on to work as a police officer but I would have liked to see him play QB for the Rams.
I feel like we need to pump the brakes on calling Harry terrible. He was injured last season and before he got hurt he looked damn solid in camp and the pre season. He showed flashes of his potential. Maybe give the kid an actual season on the field before calling him terrible.
It’s mind-boggling to me that they’re going to go with Stidham and Hoyer, unless they’re tanking for a season. Doesn’t strike me as something Belichick would do, but he’s always unpredictable.
It’s really not mind boggling. It makes complete sense. This is the best option for the Pats. The only better option is if Brady were to come back
The defense will have to ball out again if they are to not be dethroned by Buffalo, whose defense is almost as good if not better than theirs.
Unfortunately for Buffalo their best offensive weapon is probably Stephen Hauschka who provided 12 of their 19 playoff points last season.
13, kicked the xp.
Stidham will be just fine. Belichick is still in charge and the offense will be tailored to Stidhams strengths. It’s so clear by the moves that the Pats have made that the plan this year is strong D, great ST, and good QB. As long as Stidham does not throw interceptions then they will be just fine. Patriots will still win the division and make it interesting in the playoffs.
I have no doubt Stidham will be alright/decent but they also lost a lot of players on the defence and they didn’t really sign anyone of much quality to replace them.
I think the Pats fall to 6-10. I also don’t think the Pats will bounce back as quick as everyone thinks. I wouldn’t be surprised if McDaniels left and took up a role as a HC or OC somewhere else now. I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the older players decide to lead or retire considering they won’t be a playoff team anymore and Tom Brady has left.
Stidham starting is much less a problem than the other free agents who left. Brady, believe it or not, was not the entire Patriots team on his own. Belichick is not tanking, but he knows that there are a lot of other holes to be filled and that there will be more soon, as many Pats’ key pieces are aging as well.
He got a hopeful replacement at safety in Dugger, and will have his hands full bringing him up to speed in what traditionally has been the position of most concern to Belichick defenses-a rangy athletic safety. Winovich is supposed to shore up the EDGE rush, for instance. Rohrwasser for Gostkowski, Virale for Develin, etc. But there are a lot more questions upcoming: Cannon, Edelman, Chung, J. McCourty, Sanu, and Guy are older players whose replacements are not on the roster right now. The tight end room is still uncertain. Belichick isn’t tanking, but like Flores in Miami, this year will be about evaluating the holes and finding out who works where and who will need to be replaced and not necessarily about losing for draft status. No point in giving up assets to acquire a new top end QB with so many other uncertainties on the roster, might as well see what you have first. Brady or no Brady, this was coming either way, so it’s not exactly shocking that Belichick was lukewarm when it came to coming to Brady with an offer.
If anything, Belichick has shown that he prefers picks in quantity and not quality, so I doubt that a guy who makes a habit out of trading down will tank for a higher pick. If he has a specific player that he likes, he’s more likely to trade than he is to tank for positioning, but tanking answers plenty of questions about how to lose and none about how to win. Brady helped a lot with that just with helping bring offensive players up to speed, so McDaniels likely will have more on his shoulders in that department this year.
Also the guy who said Brady has never thrown to a Hall of Famer needs to get his head checked. Come on man
This is the first year in 19 the Patriots are going into the season as a non contender. TB12 spent his career giving hometown discounts and he got the shaft at the end. BB and Kraft deserve what the get. I’ll still root for Patriots but could care less about this organization as they don’t care about you. I’m getting the NFL package to watch the Bucs to see if they can win SB. As for Pats they are looking at a 5-7 win season with the toughest schedule in football and an untested rookie QB.
Man this team!
Got Stidham. Drafted no receivers. Over drafted couple TEs.
I can see why Patriot fans are excited!
4-12. Please send your Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski jerseys to kids in Africa instead of burning them once you jump off the band wagon.