Patriots' Realistic Draft, Trade Targets After Tom Brady Leaves New England

The New England Patriots' search for a new quarterback is set to intensify after Tom Brady announced Tuesday he's going to leave the franchise in free agency after 20 years and six championships. 

There are several free-agent options the Pats may consider to fill the massive void. It's a group led by Philip Rivers, Jameis Winston and Teddy Bridgewater, all of whom would represent at least a short-term upgrade over Jarrett Stidham and Cody Kessler, the two QBs left on New England's roster.

The Patriots could also look toward a trade or the 2020 NFL draft, where they hold the No. 23 overall selection. Let's analyze the options available via those avenues.

Trade Targets

Andy Dalton (Cincinnati Bengals)

The Bengals are expected to select LSU quarterback Joe Burrow with the first overall pick in the draft, which will make Dalton expendable.

He's coming off a disappointing 2019 campaign where he posted 16 touchdowns and 14 interceptions across 13 appearances. His 78.3 passer rating represented a career low.

Dalton's track record is a little more promising. He's surpassed 4,200 passing yards twice (2013 and 2016), threw a career-high 33 touchdowns in 2013 and had a 106.3 passer rating in 2016.

The 32-year-old TCU product falls under the game-manager umbrella and could provide veteran stability for a Patriots squad that'll be built on a defensive foundation once again next season.

Nick Foles (Jacksonville Jaguars)

Foles was outstanding during the Philadelphia Eagles' run to a Super Bowl LII title while filling in for the injured Carson Wentz. He completed 72.6 percent of his throws across three playoff games that year with six touchdowns and a single interception.

He also shined in 2013 with the Eagles when he compiled 27 TDs and just two picks in 13 contests.

The 31-year-old Texas native has never established himself as a franchise quarterback, though. He's recorded 38 touchdowns and 28 interceptions since the start of the 2014 campaign across stops with Philadelphia, Jacksonville, the St. Louis Rams and Kansas City Chiefs.

Like Dalton, he's unlikely to come anywhere close to Brady's peak production if traded to the Pats, but he could find success within the scheme.

Quarterback Prospects

Justin Herbert (Oregon)

Barring a massive blockbuster trade, the Patriots won't be in position to select either Burrow or Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa, this year's consensus top quarterback prospects.

Herbert is ranked 23rd overall and the No. 3 QB by Bleacher Report's Matt Miller, which puts him right on the edge of being available for New England.

He earned playing time in all four seasons with the Ducks and made steady improvement. He finished with a 64 percent completion rate with 95 touchdowns and 23 interceptions in 43 college games, including 32 TDs and six picks as a senior in 2019.

If the Patriots rely on the draft to fill the quarterback void, it would likely be a competition between the pick and Stidham, a 2019 fourth-round choice, during training camp to become the starter.

Jordan Love (Utah State)

Love (Miller's No. 4 QB) enjoyed a breakout 2018 campaign to put himself on the draft radar with 32 touchdowns and six interceptions in 13 games for the Aggies.

He couldn't match that production in 2019. He registered 20 TDs and 17 picks in 13 games but still opted to enter the draft class following his redshirt junior season.

Those struggles have brought ample uncertainty into Love's NFL projection, especially in the short term, but he's flashed high-end upside and has the physical tools at 6'4" and 224 pounds.

He's the type of prospect the Patriots may take at No. 23 while also signing or trading for a veteran who could handle the starting job in the interim while waiting for the Utah State star to develop.

Jalen Hurts (Oklahoma)

Hurts (Miller's No. 5 QB) stood out at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine, most notably running the 40-yard dash in 4.59 seconds, which pushed him into the first-round discussion.

After three years at Alabama, including two as a starter where he racked up 40 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, he transferred to Oklahoma for 2019 after being overtaken by Tagovailoa.

He enjoyed a great statistical year in Lincoln Riley's fast-paced system. He completed 69.7 percent of his throws for 3,851 yards with 32 TDs and eight INTs. He added 1,298 rushing yards and 20 scores on the ground. He even caught a touchdown.

Drafting Hurts would signal a potential change of approach for the Pats, who've spent the past two decades building around an elite pocket passer in Brady. Given the success of the Kansas City Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes and Baltimore Ravens' Lamar Jackson, it may be simply keeping up with the trends.