Patriots: 3 players Pats were smart to ditch last offseason
By Jerry Trotta
1. Tom Brady
The Patriots’ offense looks more lethal without Tom Brady.
Tom Brady’s inclusion on this list might be misleading as the Patriots didn’t necessarily kick him to the curb. Reports indicate that owner Robert Kraft wanted nothing more than to re-sign him, but the 42-year-old quarterback already had his mind made up about testing the open market.
No matter what side of the story you believe, however, it’s not like Belichick went to great lengths to persuade Brady to stick around. If you asked us this question in the middle of the summer, we would’ve loudly asserted that the Patriots were moronic for letting Brady walk. After all, the likes of Jarrett Stidham and Brian Hoyer were slated to battle it out for the starting job at training camp.
Then, however, Cam Newton was signed to the veteran minimum and everything changed. Given the team’s lack of dynamic playmakers, one could argue that Newton’s dual-threat style of play is better suited for this Patriots side.
On the other side of the spectrum, Brady’s precision in a clean pocket and lack of mobility is better off playing in head coach Bruce Arians’ pass-heavy offense in Tampa Bay. There, he has an abundance of elite perimeter weapons that only make his life easier. If he was still with the Patriots, chances are the offense looks as mundane as it did in 2019.
Newton, meanwhile, has Josh McDaniels’ new-look offense firing on all cylinders. The thought of implying that it was smart to let a legend in Brady walk doesn’t feel right, but it was unquestionably the right call by the Patriots, and that was confirmed following Newton’s first game with the team.
