The New England Patriots’ quarterback depth chart turned shallow with the departure of long-time signal-caller Tom Brady, who signed a two-year contract worth $50 million with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the offseason. Right now, the Patriots have second-year player Jarrett Stidham and veteran Brian Hoyer as quarterbacks on their roster. Even without Brady, former Patriots offensive tackle Matt Light believes that New England will thrive in the coming season.

In an interview on NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football," Light said the Patriots will certainly use Brady’s departure as fuel to light their fire.

"Are they going to have motivation to go out there and prove they can win without Tom Brady? Yeah, they'll use this," said Light, per a report by Nick Goss of NBC Sports. Light said Brady’s departure will weigh on most players and coaching staff, a group he expects to get tighter with their long-time quarterback now gone. Light said the Patriots are facing a lot of question marks, particularly in terms of head coach Bill Belichick’s system. Former Patriots tight end Christian Fauria said the Patriots are better off without Brady, particularly with the direction the team is taking in the coming season.

Fauria clarified that it has nothing do with Brady’s skillset but his age, which will not work in the direction that Belichick wants the team to take. “So it was never going to work out. They were never going to see eye to eye,” said Fauria. While Fauria believes that Stidham is not better than Brady, he said the Patriots will be in the right direction with him under center.

NFL analyst disagrees with Fauria

However, NFL analyst and former Indianapolis Colts center Jeff Saturday disagreed with Fauria’s take, saying Brady shouldered much of the blame for the Patriots’ struggles last season. Saturday told ESPN’s “Get Up” that he doesn’t agree that the Patriots would be better off without Brady, saying their offensive line was to blame for the team’s disappointing finish.

“So to lay it at Tom Brady and say they’re going to be better — I just don’t buy what he’s selling,” said Saturday. The Patriots failed to clinch a bye in the postseason and lost to the Tennessee Titans in the Wild Card Game. As of now, it is reported that the starting job is for Stidham to lose, but Mike Giardi of NFL Network expects Belichick to put him under intense pressure.

Beer company hits TB12, Gronk

Smug Brewing has brewed something for those who are mad with Brady and Rob Gronkowski for leaving the Patriots and joining the Buccaneers. The Rhode Island-based brewery recently launched a new beer brand named “Traitorade,” as a way to troll Brady and Gronkowski, who came out of retirement to sign with the Buccaneers in the offseason. The beer features a parody of the Bucs’ old “Bucco Bruce” logo, but the firm clarified that the brand is part of a joke.