3 quarterbacks who could replace Cam Newton as Patriots starter in 2021

FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - NOVEMBER 29: Cam Newton #1 of the New England Patriots looks to throw a pass against Haason Reddick #43 of the Arizona Cardinals during the third quarter of the game at Gillette Stadium on November 29, 2020 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

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NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – NOVEMBER 21: Quarterback Kyle Trask #11 of the Florida Gators warms up prior to a game against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Vanderbilt Stadium on November 21, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images) /

2. Kyle Trask

The Patriots aren’t going to have the draft ammunition required to select an elite prospect like Trevor Lawrence or Justin Fields in this year’s NFL Draft. That doesn’t mean New England won’t use a high pick to select their future starter.

A polished college star like Trask could really intrigue a coach like Belichick. He’s been nothing short of brilliant for Dan Mullen at Florida. He’s not the most mobile signal-caller in this year’s class, but he has the arm strength to make every throw in the playbook. His ability to process reads at a high level means he should make a relatively quick transition to life in the NFL.

Trask is almost certainly going to be available when the Patriots go on the clock in Round 1. There’s a chance he might slip due to the number of quality quarterbacks in this class. If that happens, the Patriots might be even more interested in stopping his draft slide with a Day 2 selection.

At the very least, Patriots fans should expect their team to spend a lot of time evaluating quarterbacks in this year’s draft class. Belichick will be intrigued by the idea of using a modest contract for a rookie quarterback to increase the buying power elsewhere on his roster. Trask checks a lot of boxes for a team that’s ready to try to win immediately and has an expensive payroll.

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