New QB. New uniforms. New era in New England.
For the first time in 20 years the Patriots will take the field sans Tom Brady. Coincidentally, they’ll be taking the field in “new” threads as well, and if those little tidbits weren’t enough to convince you that it is a new era than look at this. The Patriots currently have 45 players on their roster that have never played a regular season game as a Patriot. That is a lot.
So with all of this information, I decided that we should take a look at each position and see where each guy stacks up to their camp competition. In some cases there won’t be a competition, in other cases it is wide open to see who can crack the final 55.
So with the help of tiermaker.com I comprised a few lists to rank each position, starting with the Quarterbacks.
The List
The Guy
Jarret Stidham – Every position has a one. The number one guy who leads the group. In the case of the quarterback it is the starter, and this season belongs to Jarrett Stidham. Though we have a small sample size, against subpar competition, Stidham proved he could go last preseason. Here are some highlights.
Roster Locks
Brian Hoyer – Hoyer is heading into his third stint in New England for good reason. No matter where he has been he has done a good job. He never really got a fair shot in Cleveland or Houston (though he had winning records in both stops) but he has been solid throughout his 11 year career. The real reason he is a lock though is because of Stidham. Stidham is headed into year two and there is no chance in hell that Belichick has two quarterbacks with a combined one year of NFL experience headed into this next season.
(We all know what Hoyer can do.)
Fringe Roster Guys
N/A
Longshots
J’Mar Smith – I believe J’Mar Smith could have been drafted. Smith started 43 games in college and ended his career with 66 total touchdowns to 21 interceptions and improved his teams record every year as a starter. He has an impressive arm and is a pretty damn good athlete. Though I have him listed as a long shot he still has a chance to make the roster, the Patriots have been more receptive to having three quarterbacks on the roster, and Smith is the third best one they’ve got. 1+1=2.
Here is a look at what Smith can do.
Camp Body (No Chance in Hell)
Brian Lewerke – I know the caption is mean but Lewerke just doesn’t have it. Heading into 2017 it looked like Lewerke could be the next Michigan State guy to have a long career in the league (Hoyer, Cousins, Stanton) but his inconsistent play in his final two seasons saw his draft stock plummet. He threw 24 interceptions and only 25 touchdowns in his final two college seasons as the leader of an anemic Michigan State offense. In terms of positives, he is a tough SOB who isn’t afraid to mix it up for a few extra yards. He also makes great throws towards the sidelines.
Here is a look at some of his highlights.
That will do it for the Quarterbacks, stay tuned next week for the RB’s.
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