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It’s unclear who will start at quarterback for the New England Patriots in 2021. The Cam Newton experiment didn’t go as planned, but that doesn’t mean he definitely won’t be back with the franchise next season.
The Patriots are reportedly scoping out all options for the upcoming campaign. With that being said, here are the five most likely quarterbacks for New England in 2021, per BetOnline.ag:
Marcus Mariota +300
The Las Vegas Raiders are reportedly trying to trade Marcus Mariota, so it makes sense that the Patriots are among suitors for the former second overall pick.
The Raiders have little to no cap space for the 2021 season and with Mariota holding a $10.75 million salary, trading or releasing him would be an easy way for the franchise to create more room.
Mariota made just one appearance last season after Derek Carr went down with a groin injury during a Week 15 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers. He completed 60.7% of his passes for 226 yards and one touchdown against one interception in a 30-27 loss. He also ran for 88 yards and a score.
The 27-year-old signed a two-year deal with the Raiders after five uneventful seasons with the Tennessee Titans.
Mariota would be a solid option for the Patriots, but it’s unclear if they’ll be willing to give up the assets needed to acquire the Oregon product.
Cam Newton +500
Cam Newton is an obvious choice for the Patriots despite a subpar 2020 campaign. The 31-year-old said earlier this week that he’s not retiring and he’s not opposed to returning to the Patriots on a one-year deal for the 2021 season.
Newton’s struggles last season can be related to two big factors. First, he had little time to get acclimated to life in New England due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which was challenging after nine seasons with the Carolina Panthers. Second, the veteran signal-caller admitted that his battle with COVID-19 threw him off for the entire season.
If he returns to the Patriots in 2021, he’ll have the opportunity to learn the system more in-depth and will hopefully have a whole training camp with the team.
Jimmy Garoppolo +500
At one point, Jimmy Garoppolo seemed like a very real option for the Patriots in 2021, but as the days go by, the San Francisco 49ers appear less likely to move on from the oft-injured quarterback.
That became more evident on Wednesday when Niners general manager John Lynch said he has “no doubt” Garoppolo will be the team’s starter next season.
However, never say never. If the 49ers can find a replacement for Garoppolo via the draft, free agency or trade, his odds of returning to New England will likely increase. Patriots head coach Bill Belichick developed Garoppolo, who would have been Tom Brady’s heir had he not been traded.
According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, the Patriots acquired Brandin Cooks in 2017 as a piece for Garoppolo, not Brady, “with the feeling being that the Patriots would play more of a downfield game once Garoppolo became the quarterback, presumably in 2018.”
Brady’s success into his forties might have derailed Belichick’s rebuilding plan. The question now is, would he be willing to resume that original plan and bring Garoppolo home? Or will he start over with someone else?
Ryan Fitzpatrick +500
Ryan Fitzpatrick would be an interesting option for the Patriots, who need to rebuild/retool and get younger. The 38-year-old, who will turn 39 in November, can still sling a football pretty well, but he would be nothing more than a bridge quarterback for New England.
Fitzpatrick certainly isn’t the team’s future but could play a similar role for the Patriots as he did for the Miami Dolphins last season. The Harvard product started the season for Miami, but eventually was benched for Tua Tagovailoa, who he mentored.
If the Patriots select a quarterback in the first round of the 2021 draft, they could bring in Fitzpatrick to mentor that player and fill in until he’s ready to start. However, that would all depend on what kind of deal Fitzpatrick is looking for.
It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Patriots aim higher than Fitzpatrick. However, it also wouldn’t be surprising to see them bring in the veteran signal-caller.
Jarrett Stidham +600
It really says something that Stidham is fifth on this list behind Mariota, Newton, Garoppolo and Fitzpatrick. The 24-year-old will enter his third season with the Patriots in 2021, and it seems like Belichick has never had much confidence in him.
When Newton was struggling last season, the Patriots failed to put Stidham in or even consider starting the young quarterback. Quite frankly, it’s not surprising that Belichick doesn’t have much faith in the Auburn product.
Stidham has not looked good in every appearance he has made for the Patriots, which includes no starts. In five appearances last season, he completed 50% of his passes for 256 yards and two touchdowns against three interceptions. The year prior, he appeared in just three games, throwing for 14 yards and a pick.
While he is an option, it just doesn’t seem like Stidham will ever get an opportunity to be New England’s starter. The Patriots feverishly scoping out the market also seems to indicate that.
Other options
Other options for the Patriots include Andy Dalton (+700), Mac Jones (+700), Trey Lance (+900) and Derek Carr (+1200).
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