After Tom Brady signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, that ended a 19-year reign as starting quarterback for the New England Patriots. The question immediately went to who would take over arguably the most important position on the team. With Jarrett Stidham and Brian Hoyer the only other quarterbacks on the roster, frankly, the future didn’t look too bright in New England.
That might have changed when the Patriots signed former Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton this week. The 31-year old reached an agreement for one year with the Patriots three months after being released by the Panthers. While there should be plenty left in the tank if healthy, Newton is on the mend after foot surgery in December.
Among other injury concerns is his right shoulder, injured in 2018, however it has been reported that Newton passed a physical in Atlanta in late March. Newton won’t be handed the job, but should be the favorite heading into camp considering he is a past MVP and has experience in the big game.
One thing that Bill Belichick doesn’t put up with is large egos getting in the way of the team goals. Newton will have to keep that in check while learning a new offensive scheme, however it appears the it’s his job to lose over the second-year Stidham, who shows potential but with no game experience.
Another thing to consider is the wear and tear on the body. After nearly 100 hits per season for nine years, makes one question whether or not Newton can approach the form he had during his glory years. One thing in his favor is playing behind an offensive line that has allowed the second fewest number of sacks over the last decade. Some of that could be attributed to Brady getting rid of the ball quickly, which isn’t always the case with Newton.
In any event, the risk of this signing for the Patriots was extremely low with huge potential upside. While it doesn’t appear that Newton fits the mold set by Belichick, the bottom line is winning. If Newton can remain healthy and adhere to the system set before him, the Patriots could remain among the league’s elite. Only time will tell.