Many believe the New England Patriots will take a step back next season with Tom Brady no longer under center. But is there a chance they actually will be one of the NFL’s worst teams in 2020?
Bleacher Report writer Maurice Moton apparently believes so.
In one of his post-draft columns, Moton predicted the Patriots will go 4-12 next season if sophomore Jarrett Stidham is the starting quarterback. Clearly, Moton isn’t as high on Stidham as the Patriots reportedly are.
Here’s his rationale:
If Stidham starts in Week 1, the Patriots will be headed for a rough ride. He’s thrown only four regular-season passes and lacks the experience to elevate a mediocre pass-catching group.
In 2019, the Patriots defense stifled its opponents when the offense struggled to score points. New England lost several players on that side of the ball during the offseason, including Danny Shelton, Elandon Roberts, Jamie Collins, Kyle Van Noy and Duron Harmon.
Keep in mind, New England only has $1.7 million in cap space, per Over the Cap, which will hinder its ability to add quality roster help. Don’t be surprised if the front office makes a few cuts before training camp.
While it sounds shocking, the Patriots will fall out of the playoff picture early. Stidham can use this season as a learning experience. Following the Belichick-Brady split, New England will take a huge step back.
We’ll revisit this in a year.
