New England Patriots: 5 Bold predictions for the 2020 season
5. There won’t be a platoon at quarterback
For the first time since 2000 and perhaps even before then, the Patriots haven’t really had questions at quarterback leading into a new season. This year, however, that’s not the case as the look of the quarterback position will look much different than we have seen in years past.
Since Tom Brady departed the Patriots this offseason to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New England has overhauled its quarterback room in a group that is now led by Cam Newton, Jarrett Stidham and Brian Hoyer.
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Earlier this offseason, there were rumors coming out of Foxborough that Bill Belichick could look to a platoon-type rotation at quarterback, rotating Newton and Stidham into the game throughout the season.
The first prediction going into the 2020 campaign is that the potential platoon plan won’t be the case as Newton will convince his new team early and often that he will be the quarterback to lead the offense under center throughout the regular season and potentially into the postseason.
New England’s coaching staff has reportedly been high on Stidham and his potential, and that could certainly still be the case even if Newton claims the lone starting role at quarterback this year. But with such a small sample size on Stidham and the fact that he is entering just his second year in the NFL still creates a level of uncertainty with the young quarterback and might prove that he’s just not ready yet to take over a starting role.
With the signing of Newton this offseason, the veteran quarterback will provide New England with a dual-threat quarterback in the passing game and on the ground and will be a veteran leader for this offense that needs it.
That reason alone, along with trying to see if Newton has more left in the tank in his professional career, is why there won’t be a platoon at quarterback for the Patriots as Newton will be the lone quarterback to win the job throughout the season.