Patriots not prioritizing Tom Brady last offseason proves they didn’t look ahead at QB market
By Jerry Trotta
The New England Patriots are being diligent in their approach to find a new quarterback this offseason, and while that might be viewed as responsible in the eyes of fans, they better hope their composure doesn’t end up extending the search well into the start of free agency.
After all, not having a clear picture at the QB position could potentially derail their attempts to make further upgrades (like at receiver and tight end) on the offensive side of the ball.
Per reports, the Patriots are aware of their need to bolster those positions, and fans will love hearing that they are intrigued by some of the biggest names set to hit the open market.
Having the quarterback situation sorted out by the start of the new league year would obviously make New England a more appealing destination for free agents, and it really makes you ponder what exactly they were thinking when they chose not to prioritize Tom Brady last offseason.
Analysis: The Patriots have been strategically patient to this point with their QB void. But timing will soon become a bigger issue for them in taking that approach. https://t.co/W7Cfyu4PNw
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) February 24, 2021
The Patriots clearly weren’t aware of the QB market then they let Tom Brady go last offseason.
We hate to come down on the front office like this, but there’s just no way they looked ahead to the quarterback market when they were mulling over whether to re-sign Brady. This isn’t to say it wasn’t time to head in a different direction at QB, but wouldn’t have it been responsible on their part to at least get an idea about who would be available?
Think about it for a second. Would the Patriots have really let Brady walk if they were aware that the 2021 free agent class was headlined by guys like Cam Newton, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Jameis Winston and Mitchell Trubisky? Why not just re-sign Brady for that expensive $50 million over two years, keep the window open, cut salary elsewhere, and make the necessary upgrades? Then, in two years, figure out the QB position.
“I want to play somewhere there’s a good quarterback. That’s huge for our position. It makes things a lot easier,” TE Hunter Henry, to @SiriusXMNFL, remarks that highlight why some around the Patriots’ QB situation view timing as critical in filling void by start of free agency. https://t.co/E0R43qDdNp
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) February 19, 2021
The bottom line is that the Patriots options are extremely limited. The way we see it, they’ll either re-sign Newton, orchestrate a trade for Raiders backup Marcus Mariota, or somehow end up with former second-round pick Jimmy Garoppolo in the event that the 49ers decide to unload him.
Could either one of those guys lead the Patriots back to the playoffs next season? If the team makes other marquee additions on offense, we don’t see why that couldn’t be the case.
However, none of them would inspire much confidence in fans if they ended up in New England, and that alone proves the front office should’ve done a lot better in terms of looking ahead to their potential targets before deciding to part ways with Brady last offseason.
