Considering Tom Brady‘s age, a point that many talking heads refuse to retire despite mounting evidence that age is not a factor in Brady’s playing ability, many expected the New England Patriots to pick up a quarterback early in the 2018 NFL Draft. The Patriots, as always, defied those expectations. The rounds went on and names like Lamar Jackson, Kyle Lauletta, and Luke Falk all dropped off the board. Finally, in the seventh round of the draft, the Patriots drafted their quarterback: Danny Etling, out of Louisiana State University.

New England Patriots Draft LSU Quarterback Danny Etling

If the quarterback position was so important, why wait?

Given New England’s history with late round quarterbacks, it’s hard to just write Etling off. If the team didn’t believe there was something there – some base level of talent – then they wouldn’t have drafted him. Some have suggested that the Patriots decision to draft a quarterback so late in the draft is indicative two things:

First, it suggests that Bill Belichick and Nick Caserio were unphased by most of the quarterbacks this year. The ones that were truly good were scooped up long before the Patriots could pick one. The others, Jackson and Lauletta for example, just weren’t worth trading up for.

Second, Belichick – even with the ongoing controversy and alleged disagreements between him and Brady – still has plenty of confidence in Brady’s playing ability. After all, the pair has made their way to eight Super Bowls together, winning five of them. Two of those wins have come later in Brady’s career, further evidence that age – which will undoubtedly catch up to him someday – just isn’t a factor right now.

Etling’s physical woes are balanced by mental strength

Etling is by no means a bad quarterback, nor was he a bad pick for the New England Patriots. After two disappointing seasons at Purdue University, he transferred to LSU and sat out during the 2015 season. When he was finally able to play in 2016, he was just adequate. Etling threw for 11 touchdowns and five interceptions in just over 2,100 yards. He got better in 2017, however, throwing for 16 touchdowns and just two interceptions in nearly 2,500 yards.

However, the Boston Herald’s Karen Guregian suggests Etling’s performance has held the attention of the Patriots for some time. “They’ve been impressed with him at LSU, how he’s fared in a pro-style offense, and how he’s quickly adapted in the different offenses he’s played in.”

Caserio was quick to comment on Etling’s adaptability, a highly valued trait in any New England player. “This game is about being adaptable, being versatile,” he said, “One week a game plan might be this, the next week a game plan might be something different. […] There were some examples, some evidence of him doing that and that’s something that Danny worked on, to his credit.”

That adaptation will come in handy when he reports for duty in New England, where he’ll simultaneously learn from and compete against Brian Hoyer for a backup quarterback spot on the Patriots roster.

Why make them compete at all?

While the Patriots are no strangers to carrying three active quarterbacks, it’s important to remember why they did that in the first place. Tom Brady‘s suspension technically left two active quarterbacks on the roster: Jimmy Garoppolo and Jacoby Brissett. Brissett was active for two reasons: One, to serve as the backup to Garoppolo. Two, to gain valuable experience as a rookie.

Brady’s suspension a foggy memory now. The Patriots traded Garoppolo and Brissett. Loading three quarterbacks simply isn’t necessary anymore. While Hoyer is a wholly serviceable quarterback in dire times, the team is likely looking to the future. Hoyer is not that future.

Still, Etling is not New England’s future

Hell, Etling probably isn’t Brady’s heir either. Let’s not forget that many fans (and experts) believed Garoppolo would take over for Brady as well. Those were simpler times. Now, Father Time has all but thrown his hands up in defeat when faced with Brady’s unrelenting skill. No one expected him to play this long, let alone get better with age.

On Danny Etling, a pro scout just texted me, writing "if he's lucky, he'll end up like Brian Hoyer."

— Mike Giardi (@MikeGiardi) April 28, 2018

If the trend continues, it’s likely that Etling will follow the same route as Garoppolo and Brissett: Kept in the stable as Brady’s emergency backup and eventually traded away. Considering the team’s growing pile of draft picks for 2019, it’s even more likely that Brady’s heir won’t be drafted until next year…or even the year after that if he continues to defy expectations.

Never say never, though. Remember that no one expected Brady to take over for Drew Bledsoe to begin his reign that has spanned nearly two decades. For now, however, there simply isn’t enough evidence to suggest that Etling will overtake the GOAT anytime soon.

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