The New England Patriots this past season proved once again that they're still quite the dynasty. The Patriots finished 11-5 in the regular season, then went on to roll through opponents in the playoffs, beating the Los Angeles Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs, and then the Los Angeles Rams in the Super Bowl.
Once again, their offense was one of the best in the entire NFL. They averaged 27.3 points per game, which ranked fourth in the entire league.
And once again, Bill Belichick had an efficient offense that was among the league's best.
Tom Brady started all 16 games for the Patriots, throwing for 4,335 yards along with 29 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. His completion percentage sat at 65.8 percent and his quarterback rating was a solid 68.8. He stepped up in the playoffs as well, throwing for 953 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions.
However, Brady is getting older. He'll be 42 years old coming into next season, so the Patriots should once again start looking for his replacement.
There's nothing better than looking to the draft to acquire someone who can learn from Brady for a few seasons.
Will Grier of West Virginia fits this role perfectly. Grier threw for 3,864 yards last season along with 37 touchdowns and only eight interceptions. His completion percentage sat at 67.0 percent. He ended up finishing fourth in the Heisman voting as a senior.
Grier had originally been with Florida but had requested to transfer to West Virginia after his freshman year. He had been suspended his freshman season after a positive PED test. Transferring requires a student-athlete to be benched for one season, so Grier had only started two years under center for West Virginia.
Grier doesn't have a strong arm and isn't very athletic, but is capable of hitting the right throws. He has a great touch on his passes, and his overall game seems to fit a Pro-style system.
This is exactly what the Patriots should be looking for in Brady's replacement.
They don't need a big-time quarterback with a huge arm. They need a quarterback that's consistent and hits his throws. At the very least, he could be groomed to be a fine backup quarterback.
Coming out of the season, many expected Grier to be selected in the first round. However, his poor performance at the Senior Bowl has put him as a projected third-round draft choice.
The Patriots have 12 draft picks this upcoming April, with three coming in the third round. Taking a flier on Grier just might be worth it.
At the very least, they will have a solid backup on their hands.
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