41-year-old Tom Brady will be entering his 20th NFL season this summer, and although he has shown there is still a lot left in his tank, the never-ending question still lingers: is it time to start grooming his replacement?
There’s no question Brady is the greatest of all time—six Super Bowl rings, four Super Bowl MVPs, 14-time Pro Bowler—the list goes on and on.
He has already defeated “Father Time” again and again, and it doesn’t seem like this year could be any different.
However, Bill Belichick always has a plan for the future. And in this upcoming draft, one can argue that there is not a quarterback in this draft that Belichick is really set on taking.
Kyler Murray, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner from Oklahoma, is likely going to go in the top 10, along with Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins. Beyond those two, there’s no prospect that inspires real confidence in teams, and that shows that they can build an offense around him.
There are more needs for the Patriots at this point. They have a gaping hole at tight end with the retirement of Rob Gronkowski, along with weaknesses at wide receiver and along the defensive line.
This offense is still thriving under Brady, and Belichick should continue to construct his offense around the Hall of Famer. Whether its focusing on more of a run game, like they did down the stretch last season, or going out and acquiring more weapons for Brady in the pass game, the Patriots are sure to be hanging around come next January.
In time, a replacement will be drafted, traded for, or signed as a free agent, and Tom Brady will be gone. But until that time comes, Brady is QB1, and a solid replacement isn’t available in this year’s draft.
