2. Patriots sign Cam Newton
I’ve been trying to speak this into existence all offseason and the closer we get to the summer, the more unlikely this pairing becomes. But on paper, with the offense the Patriots seem to be building, which includes multiple backs and tight ends on the field and a lot of play-action, Newton would be a perfect fit.
Newton’s health is the big concern, of course. The 2015 league MVP is coming off two consecutive seasons that ended prematurely. His 2019 campaign was cut short by a Lisfranc injury. He had surgery for that in December, which typically requires three to five months for a full recovery. It’s the 2018 shoulder injury that is far more concerning, but the limited tape Newton produced in 2019 suggests that he’s over that issue.
In Cam Newton's one full healthy game from 2019, he delivered some strong and accurate throws (that came out on-time) and showed some good progression with his eyes.
The first clip of him stepping up in the pocket and delivering a field Comeback was my personal favorite. https://t.co/nGolOhs47d pic.twitter.com/gQjfZM0l98
— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) March 24, 2020
And before he aggravated the shoulder injury midway through the 2018 season, the 31-year-old was playing at an MVP level. Newton was on pace to set career highs in just about every major passing category.
The Patriots are due for some major regression on defense and the running game never got going last season. If New England is thinking it can stay afloat with Jarrett Stidham (or Brian Hoyer) playing the game manager role, the 2020 season will be a rough one for a fan base that is not accustomed to losing. The Pats need a high-variance option at quarterback and Newton is the only one freely available.