5 Tom Brady replacements if he retires from Patriots

1. Josh Rosen

New England’s rumored interest in Rosen from a couple weeks ago has been doubled-down on in the wake of Wednesday’s story/non-story about Brady. According to Doug Kyed of NESN, the Patriots have “expressed interest” in drafting the UCLA product.

The ultra-secretive Bill Belichick sets the tone for the Patriots’ organization. Pretty much nothing is put out to the media to take much from, and anything that is surely part of a plan. Kyed laid out a scenario where Rosen is available when the San Francisco 49ers are on the clock at No. 9 overall. After getting Jimmy Garoppolo for only a second-round pick the 49ers would do the Patriots a favor (owed to them?) by entertaining a draft night trade, for both of New England’s first-round picks or one of those picks (No. 23) and the No. 43 and No. 95 overall picks.

Next: 5 potential landings spots for Dez Bryant

A few of the supposed black marks out there against Rosen are needing to be “intellectually challenged”, being a millennial, being interested in things outside football and being too confident. The first and last of those four things won’t scare Belichick and the Patriots. The second thing applies to every incoming NFL draft prospect in recent years, and the third doesn’t mean anything as long as Rosen prepares for football the way he’ll need to.

In a certain lens, leaving aside where he’ll be drafted by comparison, Rosen could be seen as a bit of a Brady clone. New England’s rumored interest in the incoming quarterback class, with some apparent extra focus on Rosen, shows they may think just that.