5 players who Patriots need to be great in 2020

1. Jarrett Stidham

There’s always a chance the Patriots will acquire another quarterback before the regular season begins, but Stidham remains the odds on favorite to begin the regular season as the team’s No. 1 option.

Replacing a legend like Brady will create enough pressure to crush an unproven commodity like Stidham. He’s a talented signal caller, but he will need an incredible amount of support from his teammates to successfully navigate the challenge ahead of him.

It’s imperative that Stidham avoid the temptation of trying to play like Brady. Instead, he needs to focus on executing the offense as efficiently as possible. That might seem like a boring prospect for Patriots fans who’ve grown accustomed to watching Brady dissect defenses, but it’s the best way for New England to maximize their win total in 2020.

Stidham is going to enter this season as the most scrutinized player in the entire league. The Patriots can’t win games if he plays like a rookie. Time will tell if Stidham can stand up to the pressure of replacing an absolute legend.