The New England Patriots are likely to embrace losing in a way that they haven’t in the past 20 years. Bill Belichick would never tank — not openly. But his team is 2-5 because it’s not very good. With a strong financial position for free agency in 2021, New England may work toward solidifying its spot in the NFL draft, too.
Where does that leave quarterback Cam Newton, who signed with the Patriots in hopes of rejuvenating his career?
Well, Belichick made a pair of minor moves this week that might help him make the toughest decision a franchise can make. The coach needs to pick his quarterback in 2021, since Newton is playing on a one-year deal, and so the Patriots signed Donte Moncrief to the practice squad while trading for Dolphins receiver Isaiah Ford. Perhaps one of those receivers can help out one of the NFL’s worst passing offenses, which has just three passing touchdowns, a league-low, and 192 passing yards per game, third-worst. As far as peace offerings go, Ford and Moncrief aren’t much. But it should help New England get a better sense of whether it wants to stick with Newton beyond this season.
Unless Newton engineers a tremendous comeback in 2020 and makes the playoffs — an incredibly unlikely outcome unless the NFL expands the field further — he’s likely to be an undesirable free agent for the second straight year. Even with Newton playing fairly well for the Patriots, it’s easy to imagine that the unimaginative teams around the NFL will pass on Newton. So his financials aren’t likely to be prohibitive when New England makes an attempt at re-signing him. And if all of their praise isn’t just posturing, then the Patriots will try to re-sign him. Surely, they’ll offer him something below-market. But if all of Newton’s remarks about the “therapeutic” nature of New England, then he might be open to re-signing.
The Patriots could get to the end of 2020 and decide they’ve seen enough of Newton. And they’ll move on. Similarly, Newton could get to the end of 2020 and decide he’s had enough of Belichick. And he’ll move on. But the match of necessity that brought them together in 2020 could galvanize them again in 2021. In all likelihood, they’ll need each other next season.
There are likely complications. After this season, New England would probably be foolish to go with Newton and Newton alone at quarterback. The Patriots may pursue a trade for Matt Ryan. New England may try to sign Jimmy Garoppolo if the 49ers elect to part ways with the quarterback. Or Belichick could pick a quarterback in the 2021 draft. Newton wants to be a starter — any of those moves (and a number of others) would jeopardize his standing. But if the Patriots could have their ideal outcome, I would bet it would involve re-signing Newton, who, in theory, would remain committed to the sometimes-tiresome Patriot Way. And then the Patriots’ plan would also involve acquiring a younger quarterback — whether it’s Garoppolo or a college prospect — to compete for the starting job.
Maybe Newton’s season with the Patriots has included massive ups and downs. But that may end up making him a strong candidate for QB1 in 2021, because New England seems to like him, even if the rest of the NFL doesn’t.
[vertical-gallery id=97527]