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The Patriots are already planning for life after the GOAT retires." Patriots OpinionHow the Patriots are preparing for life after Tom BradyNew Youth Andre Tippett Jerseys ,108commentsThe Patriots are already planning for life after the GOAT retires.EDTShare this storyShare this on FacebookShare this on TwitterShareAll sharing optionsShareAll sharing options for:How the Patriots are preparing for life after Tom BradyTwitterFacebookRedditPocketFlipboardEmailOnce again Tom Brady is left hanging on a high five.Photo by Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe via Getty ImagesOkay, I know what the headline says, but take a deep breath and relax. Tom Brady isn’t going anywhere yet, but the Patriots have already started preparing for life after him anyway. Bill Belichick has long said that he doesn’t want end up in a terrible situation if there’s a change at the quarterback position. He has pointed to the Colts the year they lost Peyton Manning and “sucked for Luck” as an example of exactly what he doesn’t want to have happen to his teams. It’s this attitude, plus how they are handling Rob Gronkowski’s retirement, that sheds light on what they’re planning for the future. Let’s start with Gronk. He’s arguably the most dominant receiving threat of all time, and has the blocking skill of an extra offensive lineman to boot. Replacing a player of his caliber is downright impossible in a one-for-one swap. So, instead of using assets to either move up or simply draft a top tight end, they waited and signed Andrew Beck as an undrafted free agent. Instead of trying to trade for a stud tight end, they signed guys like Austin Seferian-Jenkins (who they’ve since cut) and Benjamin Watson. They also have Matt LaCosse and Ryan Izzo on the roster.None of those players really strikes fear into a defense, but that’s okay, because the offense isn’t going to be reliant on a dominant tight end anymore. They went out and made a concerted effort to improve their boundary receivers. They drafted N’Keal Harry in the first round, they signed Demaryius Thomas and Maurice Harris, they have Josh Gordon when he comes back, and they signed multiple rookie free agents to compete there too.Now, instead of worrying about the seams, teams have to worry about the boundaries, and still be able to cover Edelman in the middle and multiple backs coming out of the backfield. They realize they can never replace a player of Gronk’s caliber, and the impact he had on the offense, so why try to plug someone into that same position? It doesn’t make any sense to try to do that. If they’re not going to replace Gronk with someone equally as talented Andre Tippett Jerseys Stitched , it would be foolish to think they would try to do it with Brady. So they’re not. Since 2014, and outside of 2015, they’ve drafted a quarterback every year. Not a high pick, outside of Jimmy Garoppolo, but a mid to late round pick. They’ve identified a guy whom they felt could play quarterback in the NFL, and they’ve taken a shot at them. If they can find a guy who is good, and it coincides with them being able to make the transition from Brady, they’ll be golden. Ultimately, though, they’re not trying to replace Brady by drafting the right replacement. They’re doing it by building a stronger team around him so that when he does retire, the quarterback will be relied on a little bit less than it has been in the past. Think back to the 2001-2004 teams. They won three out of four Super Bowls, and although they never would’ve won them without Brady, the team wasn’t reliant on his play to be good. They had a dominant defense and the ability to run the ball whenever they wanted.That is what they are currently building in New England: make the quarterback position less important, so that, when Brady eventually walks away, the one who follows him doesn’t have to be the best in the league right away.Now, does this mean they’ll continue to win Super Bowls without him? Of course not, but it means that they can at least field a competitive team that will be in or near the playoffs every year. And if they do get an elite passer to replace Brady, they’ll be right back in the position they were in when this dynasty started. As with everything, Bill Belichick is planning ahead Youth Tedy Bruschi Jerseys , but instead of trading Brady a year early like he’s done with other players, he’s planning for his departure before it happens. In the meantime, it takes pressure off of Brady, who currently shows no sign of slowing down, but is still going to be 42 this season.So enjoy watching Tom Brady while you have him, there will never be another quarterback like him — and the Patriots will never find a true replacement for him. But take solace in the fact that the greatest coach/general manager in NFL history is already planning for life without Brady, and that New England will still have a chance to be competitive long after the GOAT hangs them up. Pat is a host of The Patriot Nation Podcast Interact with him on Twitter @plane_pats Will New England’s streak of undrafted rookies on the 53-man team stay alive?" />Skip to main contentclockmenumore-arrownoyesHorizontal - WhitePats Pulpita New England Patriots communityLog In or Sign UpLog InSign UpPatriots NewsOpinion and AnalysisContribute!About the SiteTopicsPatriotsOddsShopStubHubMoreAll 322 blogs on Horizontal - WhitePatriots News Opinion and Analysis Contribute! FanPostsFanShotsAbout the Site List of Patriots Twitter AccountsWrite For Pats Pulpit!New User Welcome and Commenting GuideCommunity GuidelinesMastheadTopics Patriots Off-Season CoveragePatriots Opinion/AnalysisPatriots NewsPatriots Draft CoverageSportfolio ManagementFiled under:Patriots AnalysisWhich undrafted rookie signings have the best chances of making the Patriots’ roster?New,23commentsWill New England’s streak of undrafted rookies on the 53-man team stay alive?EDTShareTweetShareShareWhich undrafted rookie signings have the best chances of making the Patriots’ roster?Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty ImagesIn 2004, the New England Patriots started a streak is active to this day: every single season over the last fifteen years, at least one undrafted rookie survived roster cutdowns to make the club’s opening day team. From players such as Ryan Allen and Brandon Bolden to obscure foot-notes in franchise history like Steve Maneri and David Herron to superstar cornerback Malcolm Butler, New England has a proud history of undrafted players.Will this streak be kept alive in 2019? With the Patriots having one of the deepest teams in the NFL, the natural reflex would be to say ‘no.’ The club’s track record and the list of rookies added via free agency this season vis-a-vis the current roster construction, however, may create a different outcome — and in turn make it sixteen straight years with at least one of them making the team. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves just yet.First, let’s take a look at this year’s contestants:*International playerIncluding Jakob Johnson, who was assigned to the Patriots through the NFL’s International Pathway Program and does not count against the 90-man offseason roster limit, the reigning world champions have eleven undrafted rookies on their roster. Some of which at positions of strength, others with a comparatively unclear picture ahead of them on the depth chart — the latter is the group most likely to survive cutdown day.This, in turn, means that the chances of some members of the undrafted rookie class do look worse than they do for others. Take the aforementioned Johnson Tedy Bruschi Jerseys Stitched , for example, who is behind arguably the NFL’s best fullback in James Develin. For him to make the team, Develin would have to suffer a significant injury (or Bill Belichick decide to bring back the T-formation just for the thrill of it). If everything goes according to plan, however, Johnson won’t make the 53-man squad.Based on the current roster, the chances also do not look particularly good for running back Nick Brossette, linebacker Terez Hall, and defensive backs Malik Gant and D’Angelo Ross. That does not mean they won’t be able to make it, of course: the Patriots will keep a player around if they see value in him, no matter how deep a position is — just think of sixth-round rookie Tom Brady as the fourth quarterback in 2000.When it comes to the question atop this article, however, we will have to eliminate these five men from the equation; they face an uphill climb steeper than others. This leaves six players:All six men are playing positions currently unsettled: the Patriots have a new-look tight end depth chart following the departure of Rob Gronkowski, have no roster locks at wide receiver beyond Super Bowl MVP Julian Edelman and first-round investment N’Keal Harry, and currently view their starting left guard — Joe Thuney — as the best option at left tackle until Isaiah Wynn and Yodny Cajuste return from injury.Tyler Gauthier, an interior offensive lineman from Miami, might actually play on the deepest of the positions listed above. On paper, New England has ample depth at the guard spots and at center, but Thuney’s role on the team and the question marks at tackle make for an interesting dynamic moving forward. Under normal circumstances — i.e. Wynn returning to start at left tackle, Thuney moving back inside — Gauthier will get lost in the numbers game.This leaves five players, and every one of them has a solid argument for making the team beyond the depth at his position:TE Andrew Beck: Primarily as a blocking tight end. Has adequate size to improve as a target in the passing game but lacks functional athleticism and route-running savvy.WR Ryan Davis: Led Auburn in receptions (69 Youth Steve Grogan Jerseys , for 546 yards) and touchdowns (5) in 2018. Lined up all over the formation, but projects primarily as a slot receiver at the next level due to his combination of quickness and size. Also has experience as a punt returner.WR Jakobi Meyers: A bigger slot receiver that brings quickness and ball skills to the table. Was productive during his final season at N.C. State and caught a team-high 92 passes for 1,047 yards and 4 touchdowns.WR Gunner Olszewski: Developmental college cornerback that was productive on special teams. Lacks size and experience at wide receiver, but has the athletic skills to make the move.OT Tyree St. Louis: Brings plenty of experience — he started 34 straight games to end his college career — and versatility to the table, as well as an intriguing frame. Needs to improve his technique as a longer-term project.All five players listed above are developmental options to a certain degree, with Olszewski in particular being a project at this point in time. A similar label can be attached to Beck and St. Louis as well, however, given their college careers. Meyers and Davis, meanwhile, are more polished but still need plenty of work to compete at the next level. Realistically, all five men are candidates for the practice squad and would benefit from time to work on their skills.So, who does have the best chance of making the 53-man team in late August? That depends on what you are looking for: when it comes to competition or the comparative lack thereof, players like the five listed above might have the best chance. When it comes to collegiate production, maybe Malik Gant or Terez Hall could return to the equation. When looking at a potential special teams role, Andrew Beck might have a solid chance.As things stand right now, Beck, Davis and company appear to have the best odds.Ultimately, however, it all comes down to performance over the next months — this will dictate whether or not 2019 will be the sixteenth straight year of an undrafted rookie finding himself on the Patriots’ opening day roster.