Five things a quarterback must have the ability to do.

There are many things a quarterback needs to be able to do by the time they reach the pro level. Call me old fashioned but I believe there are four things they must be able to do well, even if they don't like doing them and they're all tied together.

The first thing is the ability to read a defense both before and after the snap. Knowing of it's man or zone, picking up the blitzer, and a  various of other tasks. 

Then comes to game manage. Making adjustments if need be. Paying attention to the clock and running the play given. Avoiding turnovers and taking what the defense is giving them.

Followed by the ability to dink and dunk. Picking up a handful of yards here or there in short to intermediate passes. Letting the pass catchers get y.a.c. yardage. Quarterbacks like Big Ben hate the style of play but it made him a better quarterback. Some quarterbacks spend so much time throwing the long ball that they can barely throw it short with any kind of accuracy.

A quarterback needs to be able to throw the ball forty yards. Not every quarterback needs to have Drew Bledsoe's arm. Chad Pennington and Jim Harbaugh didn't have the longest deep ball but could still get the ball over a defense's head. 

Both the dink and dunk, and the 40 yard passing game are part of game managing. It's part of taking what's there and secondary skill of being able to scramble for a few yards on occasion can also be included.

There's a bonus fifth thing that I forgot. The ability to see the field. If a quarterback doesn't see them, the ball will never get to them.. They spend their time throwing to covered pass catchers or scrambling and giving the pass catchers a bad reputation, when the blame actually falls to them.

The Patriots have decisions to make at the quarterback position. Whether it's draft a quarterback, trade for Jimmy Garoppolo,  or ride with Newton, Stidham, and Dolegada. Who ever the quarterback is, they must be able to do all the things mentioned above at a top thirty two caliber level.

Stidham and Dolegada are still in development, Newton's in decline, and Garoppolo cannot stay healthy. The only rookie I have confidence in being able to do all the above consistently either 2021 or 2022 is Mac Jones. 

Of the guys who've been in the league, it's Jimmy because I believe the offensive line can keep him healthy. Followed by Newton and Stidham, who are basically the same guy when it comes to passing ability. Again one's in development, the other's in decline. People don't have to agree but I don't have faith in last year's quarterbacks having the ability to game manage or dink and dunk. 

There's too many red flags. Newton's not 2018 Cam and Stidham isn't 2017 Stiddy. Hell Garoppolo not even the same guy the Patriots got rid of, so draft and start Jones.