New England Patriots quarterback Jarrett Stidham Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports

Jarrett Stidham wants to be starting QB for Patriots

Logic suggests quarterback Jarrett Stidham will not start for the New England Patriots this year unless things go terribly wrong between the beginning of the summer months and the fall. One-time NFL Most Valuable Player Cam Newton is set to open training camp as New England's QB1, and the club acquired Alabama Crimson Tide signal-caller Mac Jones via the No. 15 selection of the 2021 NFL Draft. 

Nevertheless, Stidham told reporters Monday he's working to climb atop the depth chart ahead of September. 

"My goal is to be the quarterback here and to start football games for a really long time in this league," he explained, per Zack Cox of NESN. "The mindset of that has never changed and never will change." 

Stidham largely underwhelmed in appearances last season when Newton was sidelined, and Jones is the heir apparent who should receive playing time if the veteran goes down to an injury later this year or loses his job because of poor performance. While Stidham deserves credit for taking a positive mentality into practices, the writing on the wall hints he'll have to go elsewhere if he wants to be anything other than a backup QB in the NFL.

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