New England Patriots 7-round 2020 NFL mock draft: Life after Tom Brady

A new era has dawned in Foxborough without Tom Brady. This is a void that cannot be filled, but Bill Belichick can find a new direction for his team.

The New England Patriots will have to find a new identity for this team since such a loss cannot be replaced on a whim. The growing chasm between Bill Belichick and Tom Brady had been reported ever since their conflict around the trade of Jimmy Garappolo in 2017, and Brady’s eventual withdrawal was inevitable.

Outside of the greatest quarterback of all-time leaving the team, other key pieces such as Kyle Van Noy, Jamie Collins, Duron Harmon will also not be returning to New England come the 2020 season.

The New England Patriots appear to be comfortable starting second-year Auburn product Jarrett Stidham in the 2020 season, as they have been repeatedly talking about his growth and their confidence in the young quarterback. Even though he had four unimpressive snaps in the 2019 regular season (2/4, one pick-six), his preseason performances indicate the potential to be a capable starter in 2020.

The Patriots now have the most compensatory selections of any franchise in the 2020 NFL Draft, a strategy Belichick has been using to consistently bring in cheap talent to his ball club throughout the New England dynasty.

The 2020 NFL Draft is deep with specialized players who can immediately fill a specific role from day one for Belichick and company. With so many selections late in day two and throughout day three, a trade up in the middle rounds to select an underrated favorite is not out of the question.