New England Patriots on a pathway towards the bottom

The New England Patriots are at a crossroads in their history for the first time since 2001.

The New England Patriots have big decisions on the horizon. They have just completed the greatest period in their 60-year history – and in the history of the NFL. They have experienced unprecedented success riding on the board shoulders of the greatest quarterback in NFL history, Tom Brady.

Yet, inexplicably, unconscionably and unquestionably ill-advisedly they allowed the icon of the franchise, still performing at a high level, to leave for warmer pastures. Now what?

To tank or not to tank, that is the question for New England

Following Tom Brady’s departure, the New England Patriots have lots of major decisions to make. The Patriots had 19 free agents at the start of free agency, including Brady. Besides Brady, they have already experienced many other defections in free agency as good players desert the possibly sinking ship for better offers elsewhere. And they traded one other good player, as well.

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So what is the plan? If there is a plan. As things stand, the New England Patriots situation at quarterback seems to be centered on Jarrett Stidham, the second year player from Auburn. According to Pro Football Reference, Stidham has thrown a whopping total of 4 passes in the NFL. Not exactly a great sampling.

Yet, coupled with the dismal state of the offense returning from last season, it could open the Patriots up to a very interesting possibility in one year’s time. There is a quarterback in the draft next year who is targeted for greatness. And the Patriots could have an opportunity to nab him.

What would it take? Tanking the season, of course. Tank the season and hope to gain the bounty of the first pick in the NFL draft in 2021. The prize would be Trevor Lawrence, the magnificent quarterback from Clemson? Lawrence is the real deal, folks.

ESPN has Lawrence at 6’6″ tall, and 220 pounds. In 2019, 68% completions with 38 touchdowns to go along with 8 interceptions. You’d need the first pick in the draft. You’d also need to be really pitiful. Can the Patriots possibly be that bad to win this prize?

For Patriots sycophants the answer is unalterably, NO. I’m not so sure. It may take a bit of work, but maybe not that much. I think it’s doable.

New England Patriots pathway to the bottom

No doubt about it, the 2020 New England Patriots would have be almost historically awful to win the race to the bottom in the Trevor Lawrence sweepstakes. But it can be done. They’ve done it before. One time in 1970, after which they gained the first pick in the draft and selected quarterback Jim Plunkett. And another time in 1992, after which they gained the first pick in the draft and selected Drew Bledsoe.

Drew was good quarterback, just not quite good enough. He took them to a losing Super Bowl and ultimately was traded to Buffalo. The Patriots have now kicked to the curb the most important piece of any offense and they don’t have a replacement. Check. And, oh by the way, that piece was the greatest ever.

Their offense, absent the outstanding Julian Edelman (who just might be traded himself) and James White, really has no other first-rate skill players. Check.

Also, their “great” and certainly greatly overrated defense has already lost key pieces from last season’s squad: the very underrated Kyle Van Noy and Danny Shelton and also Jamie Collins and Duron Harmon.

Thus, it really wouldn’t take much more of an effort by New England to win the race to the bottom. Their drafting and free agency track records have been dismal for years so that is to be expected this year, as well. So it’s not too much of stretch to think that with a bit of luck, they could actually win this race and wind up with the prize, Trevor Lawrence.

Pollyannas in Patriots Nation hold on to the delusion that it has been Bill Belichick all along who has been responsible for the Patriots’ greatness of the past 20 years. He will, they attest, lead us to greatness again now, without Tom Brady! Ironically, Belichick himself has been consistent in pointing out it’s the players who play the games. And indeed, it is. Never known BB to play a single snap the past 20 years.

It will be interesting to see if the New England Patriots this season accept the inevitable post-Tom Brady mediocrity, which is almost certainly on the way.

Next. New England Patriots have their next guy in Jarrett Stidham. dark

Or, alternatively, take steps to be even more terrible and seek the Golden Fleece, Trevor Lawrence in the 2020 draft. Their personnel management shouldn’t have very much trouble meeting the requirements of tanking. Their recent track record in the draft and free agency speaks volumes to that ability.

Without Tom Brady for the first time since 2001, the 2020 NFL season for the New England Patriots will be very interesting to watch. But for Patriot fans, be ready. It ain’t gonna be pretty. Let’s just hope it’s just ugly enough to get that first overall pick.

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