Now, remember that this is Bill Belichick talking and that he isn’t going to give absolute anything away from fall camp, but the New England coach is still saying that, as of now, the quarterback job is wide open.
That means that two former Auburn signal callers in Cam Newton and Jarrett Stidham are battling every day to see who gets the start for the Patriots once the NFL season kicks off.
Maybe Belichick is misleading everyone once again when it comes to the quarterback competition. But his comments seem genuine for the most part. Belichick said every one of the quarterbacks would get a shot at competing for the starting job in training camp. That’s how he treats every position. That’s how he will treat quarterback, which seems to be an open job for the first time since 1992.
The Patriots’ quarterbacks split reps evenly for the first day of padded practice at training camp, according to reporters on the scene. It was one of many signals that there is no front-runner or previously-crowned winner. And the Patriots have done this. Tom Brady, of course, was the presumed starter for almost two decades. Even in 2016 with Brady heading on suspension, Jimmy Garoppolo seemed to win the job instantly, with Jacoby Brissett taking a developmental role.
But this year is different.
Another example? When the Patriots ultimately decided to let their quarterbacks speak with the media, the team elected to give them all at once — within minutes of one another. It could have been complicated to give one quarterback to the media first, second and third. So they didn’t create an order — the quarterbacks all spoke at once.
But now, after reporters attended practice, we have an order. Brian Hoyer took the first set of snaps in drills, followed by Jarrett Stidham, Cam Newton and Brian Lewerke. Even this ordering seems like a deferral. It seems to rank them by their experience in New England’s system (while also slowing the hype on Newton, one of the more touted free agent signings in recent memory). Newton is certainly the odds-on favorite to start — and maybe he’s even Josh McDaniels’ favorite, with the offensive coordinator privately chatting with Newton during one of Hoyer’s series of hurry-up offense.
Stidham had the best day on Monday. But that’s not what really matters. Every practice day may be important, but Belichick will be looking at which quarterback stacks good day after good day — and maybe even converts those good days into brilliant ones. (They have a high standard for quarterbacking in New England. (You’ve heard of Tom Brady.)) There are some indicators of who the Patriots are beginning to expect to win, with the team beginning to install new plays that highlight mobility, something Newton and Stidham have that Brady didn’t (and Hoyer doesn’t).
This could set up some great drama in Foxboro as the two former Tigers and Brian Hoyer fight it out to see who can be the man for Belichick under center this season. In fact, the coach is even thinking of using a platoon-like system at the quarterback system.
“It might,” Belichick replied when asked whether a two-quarterback system might benefit the team. “I always say I’ll do what I think is best for the team, what gives us the best chance to win. Whatever that is, I would definitely consider it — run unbalanced line, double unbalanced line, 23 personnel. Whatever it is, if it helps us win, I would consider anything.”