The Jarrett Stidham Era is Over in NE as the Patriots Trade Him to Las Vegas

And with that, Jarrett Stidham's time in New England comes to an end. To borrow a phrase from T.S. Eliot, not with a bang, but with a whimper. From being drafted in 2019 (31st pick of the 4th round, 133rd overall) to be the Heir of the Throne of Brady, to the likely starter in 2020 to Cam Newton's backup, to getting dropped behind Brian Hoyer on the depth chart in 2021, to being traded for a Dunkins gift card in 2022. Replaced by Bailey Zappe (not coincidentally, the 32nd pick of the 4th round, 137th overall). A kid who went to both Baylor and Auburn, losing his job to a kid from Western Kentucky.

What a long, strange trip it's been. 

The thing is, Stidham came into this situation with a ton of promise. He was heavily recruited out of high school. He was thriving at Baylor. And if you were buying him a gift, a coffee mug that said "Future Top 10 Pick" would've been a smart choice, because that was the general consensus. Then he noped out of Baylor for Auburn over a sex scandal he had no involvement in and wanted to distance himself from, and his draft stock plummeted. Which a lot of scouts chalked up to him being a traditional drop-back pocket passer, and therefore a bad system fit. But talent evaluation is very much a film study business. And his tape did him no favors, so he dropped. 

Still, there were plenty of reasons to hope. Believe me, I took every one of them. Despite moments like his pro debut, when Bill Belichick pulled Brady with his team up on the Jets 30-7, only to see Stidham's third career pass attempt end up in Jamal Adams' hands for a 61-yard Pick-6, and a visibly pissed Belichick was forced to send a visibly pissed Brady back in to finish the game. 

The optimism was still there once Brady left me. I mean, us. I mean, New England. Glowing reports from Stidham's old coaches. Stories about his drive and work ethic. Even after the Pats signed Newton, it seemed likely Stidham would get every shot to be the QB1. He held workouts with his receivers. Then came the preseason interceptions, which Belichick said he wasn't worried about. And then came the regular season, and it spoke volumes that every time Newton was pulled for ineffectiveness (which happened a lot) or had to sit out due to a positive Covid test (which also happened), Hoyer got the call. And Stidham only came off the bench to clean up for him. 

And as last offseason offered a glimmer of hope that the Pats might land the actual Heir to the GOAT Throne, there was this grim bit of news that explained why he was buried on the depth chart behind a QB1 with 8 passing touchdowns and a QB2 who's old enough to qualify for services from Visiting Angels, America's choice in home care:

And now, at last, his Foxboro journey comes to an end. 

There have long been rumors swirling around that Stidham wasn't dedicated enough to the craft. Whispers in the media that he was too much into living an idyllic life on social media:

Which I've always dismissed as nothing more than the angry rantings of crankypants who don't understand how 24-year-olds function in the 2020s. Because if he wasn't putting in the time on the field, in the gym and in the film room, he would've been gone long before now. And obviously my opinion is validated by the fact Dave Ziegler just traded for him so that Josh McDaniels could continue to coach him. And with doubts about Derek Carr's future part of the conversation in Las Vegas, maybe Stidham will get his shot, sooner or later. 

Regardless, I've learned one thing in all this. And that's to lower my expectations on young quarterbacks this team drafts. And by that I mean Bailey Zappe. Mac Jones is still the one who will make us glad Brady left when he did.