There is plenty of speculation regarding the uncertain future of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. It appears one of head coach Bill Belichick's former assistants feels they are already making preparations for his potential departure.

Brady is reportedly set to test the market as a free agent for the first time in his career. According to Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald, former Patriots offensive coordinator Charlie Weis feels Belichick may look to trade up for a quarterback in the 2020 NFL Draft and pair with a veteran under center:

“I personally don’t think it will be Stidham. I think it’ll be a veteran guy [to replace Brady],” Weis said. “But I also wouldn’t put it past Bill to run all the way to the top of the draft, and go get one of the big boys. I wouldn’t put it past him.”

The Patriots took quarterback Jarrett Stidham in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. However, Weis' comments indicate that they do not view his as a long-term option. That also would mean they don't view him as an immediate replacement for Brady. As a result, they may need to make splash in order to officially usher in a new era.

The prospect of New England moving up to take Brady's future successor is hardly far-fetched. Whether or not he stays, it is safe to assume that they would like to take their time developing him into a bonafide starting quarterback. They had a similar approach with Jimmy Garoppolo and Jacoby Brissett.

There are a number of quarterback-hungry teams with much earlier picks than the Patriots. Which means they may also be looking to trade up in order to get the player of their choosing. This means Belichick would need to put together quite the trade package in order to even be in position to take a notable prospect.