Tom Brady has yet to call it quits, but the Patriots are already preparing for his departure.
According to The Boston Globe, New England brought in top quarterback prospects Will Grier and Daniel Jones for pre-draft visits last week.
The Patriots also hosted some prospective targets for Brady, given the recent retirement of tight end Rob Gronkowski.
Per The Globe:
The Patriots had an intriguing week with their pre-draft visits. Monday, they brought Texas A&M tight end Jace Sternberger to Foxborough. Wednesday they hosted a pair of quarterbacks, West Virginia's Will Grier and Duke's Daniel Jones. Thursday, they brought in four potential targets for Tom Brady: Iowa tight end Noah Fant, Ole Miss receiver A.J. Brown, Baylor receiver Jalen Hurd, and South Carolina receiver Deebo Samuel.
They’re also hosting Arizona State receiver N’Keal Harry and Notre Dame’s Miles Boykin this spring. And these are just the visits that are getting reported.
While Grier, the former West Virginia signal-caller, isn't expected to immediately fly off the board, Jones, the former Duke quarterback, is considered a potential first-round pick. Grier is known for his accuracy, having completed 67 percent of his passes for 3,864 yards and 37 touchdowns with eight interceptions last season, while Jones completed 61 percent of his passes for 2,674 yards and 22 touchdowns with nine picks.
As for the rest of the field, former Aggies standout Sternberger isn't expected to go early either but will make a notable impact wherever he ends up after logging 48 catches for 832 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2018.
The Globe notes, however, that visits don't necessarily mean serious interest. The Patriots hosted Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson ahead of last year's draft before passing on him.
The NFL Draft is slated for April 25-27 in Nashville, with the champion Patriots holding 12 picks, including the 32nd overall selection to close out the first round.