Mac Jones’ arrival was not good news for Cam Newton.
The New England Patriots drafted Jones in the first-round this year, just about a month and a half after signing Newton to a one-year deal. Though Bill Belichick said Newton was the Patriots’ quarterback in a post-draft press conference, the coach added that the other quarterbacks (Jones, Brian Hoyer and Jarrett Stidham) could compete for the job.
Newton shared his perspective on Jones in their first few weeks working together.
“He’s pretty quiet,” Newton told reporters Tuesday on a videoconference call. “I think he’s trying to figure everybody out. I’ve been there. I’ve been a first-round pick where so much is asked from you. Coming from a situation where you have a lot of people that are your peers, and now, what is Mac? 21, 22? I’m 32 and (Brian Hoyer) is 35. It’s tough. He’s doing a great job with being everything as advertised with a leadership perspective. He’s holding himself accountable. That’s all you can ask from a young player.”
Jones and Newton are clearly jockeying for the starting job. Though Belichick, for years, has emphasized that OTAs and minicamp are teaching opportunities, the Patriots have increased Jones’ repetitions, with the rookie eclipsing Newton’s rep total for the first time on Tuesday, a sign that he’s growing more relevance in the quarterback competition. Surely, the Patriots would be pleased to see Jones competing for the starting job during training camp, especially considering how high they drafted him. As for Newton, he shared his initial reaction to when New England drafted Jones.
“It didn’t make me feel any type of way because he was the right pick, you know what I’m saying,” Newton said. “He was the best player available and that is what the NFL Draft is for. As far as having any chip on the shoulder, I mean, you’re stating the obvious. I don’t need too much to get myself going, let alone that happening. And it’s no disrespect to Mac. It’s no disrespect to Bill and his decision. I support it 110% because you still have to do what’s right for the organization, for the long haul.”
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