Did the Patriots experience some level addition by subtraction over the offseason?
NFL analyst Bucky Brooks seems to think so.
Many believed the sky was falling in Foxboro when Tom Brady elected to leave the only NFL franchise he’d ever known in order to sign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency. Brooks, on the other hand, believes Brady’s exit will open some new doors in New England. Not only that, the “Move the Sticks” co-host thinks the Patriots will be better in the upcoming season than in 2019.
“Oh, they’re better,” Brooks said on NFL Network. “I know this is going to surprise some people because everyone’s been crying all offseason about the loss of Tom Brady. But I’m going to say this gives Bill Belichick to do what he really wants to do with his team. It is always system over player. I’ve seen Bill Belichick win games with Matt Cassel, Jacoby Brisset, Jimmy Garoppolo. He’s 13-6 without Tom Brady. I think he continues, and with Jarrett Stidham — or Brian Hoyer, but let’s say Jarrett Stidham — playing quarterback you’ll see more movement-based run game, more movement-based passing. You’ll see that defense carry the water. The New England Patriots will be better this year than they were last year when Tom Brady might have been holding them back.”
Proving Brooks right will be no easy task for the Patriots. Not only will their offense likely be led by a quarterback who’s yet to make an NFL start, their regular-season schedule arguably is the toughest in the league. So should New England go on to be better in 2020 than a season ago, it probably will go down as one of Belichick’s finer coaching performances.
