After letting Tom Brady leave without the New England Patriots even really making him a formal offer, many insiders close to the situation speculated who the Patriots’ future quarterback could be. There was talk of Teddy Bridgewater, Jameis Winston, and even Andy Dalton. However, in the days following Brady’s departure, the Patriots stood pat. In fact, about a week later, they signed former backup, Brian Hoyer. While Hoyer has proved that he can be a serviceable quarterback over the years, let’s not ignore the fact that he lost the backup job to Stidham last off-season. Using basic logic and process of elimination, it is evident that as of now, Jarrett Stidham is going to be the starter in 2020. 
The question over the past week has really been whether or not Stidham is ready to be the focal point of a team. While it certainly is rare for a fourth round pick to take control of a team in his sophomore season, it is by no means unprecedented. Not too long ago, a guy named Patrick Mahomes took over the job in his second season and went on to win MVP and host the AFC Championship game. With that said, he was the tenth overall selection, not nearly a fourth rounder. However, someone who was, at the time, perceived as perhaps even less than Stidham, was Tom Brady. Yes, sixth round pick Brady saw his opportunity in the beginning of his second season when Drew Bledsoe went down with an injury. Although it is hard to think of Brady as anything other than “the GOAT,” he truly was a no-name player back in the beginning of 2001. The only difference between the two, and it definitely is a big one, is that Brady was not taking over for the greatest quarterback of all time, which is exactly what Stidham is doing. 
He has big shoes to fill, but under Bill Belichick’s control, I believe he can handle the job. While Stidham was not necessarily the best college quarterback while he was at Auburn, he was known as a game manager who would do whatever it took to win. He has quite the resume, with maybe his most notable win coming against Alabama in the Iron Bowl. During last year’s preseason, Stidham looked really good and began forming some chemistry with receivers. For instance, he essentially got Jakobi Meyers a spot on the regular season roster by how well the two played together in September. 
The absolute number one reason why Patriots fans should believe in Stidham is because Bill Belichick clearly does. Even if you are someone who feels like he is not ready based off of what you have seen so far, Belichick has seen a lot more in practice and can assess a quarterback unlike any other coach of all time. In 2016, when Brady was suspended, Belichick went 3–1 with Jimmy Garoppolo and Jacoby Brissett. Mind you, Garoppolo just went to the Super Bowl, and Brissett has now been Indianapolis’ starter for two straight years now. Belichick spots talent at the position and knows what to do with it. Pair that with a player like Jarrett Stidham who is willing to buy into the system, you come away with a competitive team that is poised to win at all costs.