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New England Patriots: 5 Quarterbacks to replace Tom Brady if he leaves

By Mitchell Hansen

FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - JANUARY 13: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots hugs Philip Rivers #17 of the Los Angeles Chargers after the AFC Divisional Playoff Game at Gillette Stadium on January 13, 2019 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - JANUARY 13: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots hugs Philip Rivers #17 of the Los Angeles Chargers after the AFC Divisional Playoff Game at Gillette Stadium on January 13, 2019 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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New England Patriots (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
New England Patriots (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

2. Matthew Stafford

Another player that the New England Patriots could try and reach out to acquire on the trade market if he is ultimately made available is Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford. Stafford is a name that not that many people are talking about as a potential replacement for Tom Brady at quarterback in New England, mainly for the reason that he is still under contract and it would be hard to see the Lions parting ways with their veteran leader.

Stafford has continued to be one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL since he came into the league in 2009 after being drafted out of Georgia by the Lions with the first overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft.

In 2019, Stafford appeared in eight total games for Detroit before suffering a back injury that cut his season short. The 32-year-old quarterback ended up completing 64.3 percent of his pass attempts, throwing for 2,499 yards through the air with 19 touchdowns and five interceptions.

So with that continued success under center, why would the Lions be interested in parting ways via the trade market with their top-notch quarterback?

An interesting aspect of the potential of Detroit moving on from Stafford is the fact that the Lions hold the No. 3 overall pick in the upcoming 2020 NFL Draft. One player that will likely be available at that pick for Detroit if it decides he is talented enough not to be able to pass up is quarterback Tua Tagovailoa out of Alabama.

With Stafford under contract yet and the quarterback position not currently being a need for the Lions, it’s not likely that Detroit would end up taking the quarterback out of Alabama in the draft, but it’s an option that is intriguing and could be worth watching as the draft approaches.

If Stafford does end up becoming available and the Lions move on from their veteran quarterback ahead of the 2020 campaign, the Patriots would be foolish not to make a call to Detroit to try and acquire Stafford at quarterback if Brady leaves the organization in free agency.

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