FOXBOROUGH Chris Lindstrom Jersey , Mass. (AP) — Jarrett Stidham now stands where several others have before him — as a possible successor to Tom Brady as quarterback of the New England Patriots.But like nine other drafted signal-callers before him, Stidham knows it’s best to concentrate solely upon making the football team first and worry later about what his role may be when the ageless Brady finally decides to hang up his cleats.“It’s a tremendous opportunity to learn under him and (backup) Brian Hoyer,” said Stidham, the Auburn quarterback selected Saturday by the Patriots in the fourth round of the draft.“To be in the same room with those guys and to learn from them, it’s going to be great and I’m really looking forward to it.”Stidham, a two-year starter at Auburn, was the 133rd overall pick, 66 positions higher than Brady’s selection in 2000.Since then, the Patriots have drafted Rohan Davey, Kliff Kingsbury, Matt Cassel, Kevin O’Connell, Zac Robinson, Ryan Mallett, Jimmy Garoppolo, Jacoby Brissett and Danny Etling.Of them, only Cassel had any significant playing time with the Patriots, playing most of the 2008 season after Brady, who will be 42 in August, suffered a season-ending knee injury in the opening game against Kansas City.The Patriots also signed Hoyer, their current backup http://www.falconscheapshops.com/cheap-authentic-kaleb-mcgary-jersey , as an undrafted free agent in 2009 and brought him back to the team in 2017 after brief tenures with six other NFL teams.“I don’t think I feel any pressure,” Stidham said. “I’m sure everybody wants to be as good as Tom Brady someday, but I’ve got to take it one day at a time. I’m going to work as absolutely as hard as I can to make sure I can do whatever it is to help this organization out.”Nick Caserio, the Patriots’ director of player personnel, came away impressed with Stidham after a lengthy meeting with him at Auburn’s pro day.“He’s a smart kid, pretty mature, picks things up well,” Caserio said. “So we’ll see how it goes. He’s going to transition into a system that’s a little bit different in terms of play-calling and some of the other things he’ll be asked to do here. But he’s an impressive kid.”The Patriots made 10 selections in all over the three days, engineering seven trades, including three with the Los Angeles Rams, whom they defeated 13-3 in the Super Bowl.WHO THEY GOTAlthough they did not address the hole at tight end left by the retirement of Rob Gronkowski, the Patriots appeared to find several players they expect to contribute immediately.At the top of that list would be their first-round pick, wide receiver N’Keal Henry of Arizona State, whose 6-foot-3 size and productivity should help the Patriots stretch the field if suspended veteran Josh Gordon is not reinstated by the league.Vanderbilt cornerback Joejuan Williams, taken in the second round, will have the chance to flank Pro Bowl veteran Stephon Gilmore, while seventh-round pick Ken Webster of Mississippi could add depth.Yodny Cajuste of West Virginia and Hjalte Froholdt of Arkansas bolster the Patriots’ offensive line, Cajuste potentially at right tackle, while defensive linemen Chase Winovich of Michigan and Byron Cowart of Maryland could fill vacancies created by free-agency departures.Jake Bailey of Stanford, the first right-footed punter selected in Bill Belichick’s 20 drafts in New England, will challenge recently resigned veteran Ryan Allen.SURPRISE MOVEThe Patriots selected Alabama running back Damien Harris in the third round Kendall Sheffield Jersey , 87th overall. Harris joins a talented position group that includes Sony Michel and James White, but his addition may put the oft-injured Rex Burkhead at risk. This may have been the Patriots’ only “best athlete available” pick of the first two days.HOW THEY DIDThe true measure of a draft isn’t always apparent immediately, but the Patriots appeared to take an effective, targeted approach to fill needs at receiver, cornerback, and the offensive and defensive lines. But other than recent free-agency signee Austin Seferian-Jenkins, the Patriots have not replaced the offensive productivity of Gronkowski at tight end.WHAT’S NEXTAny discussion of the Patriots’ remaining needs for 2019 has to include consideration of the 2018 draft. Several 2018 selections are returning from the injured reserve list and are expected to compete for positions the Patriots didn’t address in this draft.Included among those are: tackle Isaiah Wynn, cornerback Duke Dawson, linebackers Ja’Whaun Bentley and Christian Sam, wide receiver Braxton Berrios, and tight end Ryan Izzo. Otherwise, the Patriots’ staff will look to add several undrafted free agents over the next few days.
TORONTO — The New York Yankees evened their series with the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday afternoon, but the availability of closer Aroldis Chapman for the rubber match Sunday was unknown.

Chapman struck out the first batter of the bottom of the ninth inning Saturday in the Yankees’ 8-5 victory at the Rogers Centre, but then left the mound with a recurrence of left knee tendinitis that he has dealt with for the past two months.

“I don’t think today was anything too extreme from what he’s been dealing with much of the year,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “It was more me getting him out of there because of the score.”

He is considered day-to-day.

Chapman entered the game in the ninth with a four-run lead, a non-save situation.

“With a four-run lead, I didn’t want to take any chances with it,” Boone said. “He said he was fine to continue.”

Chasen Shreve replaced the left-hander and finished the game, allowing a home run to Aledmys Diaz.

The teams will go for the series win Sunday afternoon with the Yankees (57-29) sending out right-hander Domingo German (2-4, 5.37 ERA) and the Blue Jays (41-47) will start left-hander Ryan Borucki (0-1, 2.77).

The Yankees also lost center fielder Aaron Hicks to a cramp and hamstring tightness in his left leg in the fifth inning. Toronto reliever Rhiner Cruz left the game with a groin injury in the top of the ninth.

Hicks will be likely given Sunday off. No MRI has been done at this stage http://www.falconscheapshops.com/cheap-authentic-john-cominsky-jersey , so Boone hoped the day off would be enough.

“He feels like he’s OK,” Boone said.

Clint Frazier, who was called up from Triple-A, took over in left field when Hicks was removed with Brett Gardner moving from left to center.

In a twist to the game, the Yankees scored six runs and had four hits and six walks in 2 2/3 innings against Toronto left-hander J.A. Happ, a pitcher they could be interested in obtaining before the July 31 deadline for trades without waivers.

It was the second poor start in a row for Happ, who gave up seven runs in 5 2/3 innings to the Detroit Tigers on Sunday.

Happ said the rumors of a trade, possibly to the Yankees, did not influence his start.

“It really doesn’t change. I was ready to pitch. I was excited to pitch, I felt good,” Happ said. “I don’t know. I think you try to flush this one as best you can and it’s going to be a tough couple of days in between, but hopefully you bounce back.

“I don’t think these last two are really indicative of how I’ve pitched the last several years, so you try to flip the script as best as you can and just move forward.

“I’m just focused on playing for the Blue Jays right now. There’s rumors out there. You never know what’s speculation, what’s true, and what has any realistic chance. I’m just trying to play and pitch. I’m happy right here and we’ll see what happens.”

German will make his 17th appearance and 11th start of the year for the Yankees. He has faced Toronto twice in his career, both in relief, going 0-2 with an 8.10 ERA.

In German’s only outing against the Blue Jays this season, he allowed two runs, two hits and four walks in 1 2/3 innings.

Borucki will make his third career outing (all starts) when he pitches against the Yankees for the first time. He allowed two runs, six hits and no walks and had eight strikeouts Monday but did not factor in the decision against the Detroit Tigers.

The Yankees are 8-4 against the Blue Jays this season and 5-3 at the Rogers Centre. They last had five wins in Toronto in 2009 when they were 6-3.

The Blue Jays are 4-4 on a homestand that ends Sunday.