When Derek Jeter retired after the 2014 season, the New York Yankees did not have an obvious internal candidate to replace him, and that was not a problem. They believed, and so did their fans, that the team’s next shortstop, no matter what, would be a good one, and he was: Didi Gregorius, acquired in a trade, blossomed into a dynamic all-around player during five seasons in pinstripes after an inauspicious start.
Some professional sports franchises, because of their prestige and success, tend to engender a certain faith when making decisions, especially big ones.
For the past three months, the Patriots’ conspicuous quiet through the draft and free agency insinuated that Jarrett Stidham, a fourth-round pick in 2019, would replace Hall of Fame-bound Tom Brady at quarterback.