Chris Simms says Cam Newton is still one of the best 20 QBs in the NFL

“Cam Newton still has got one of the greatest presence of all quarterbacks on the NFL field.”

There isn’t many former MVP quarterbacks that catch the amount of negative attention that Cam Newton does.

Newton was publicly criticized throughout the entire 2020 season despite the difficult circumstances he was up against. Joining the New England Patriots following Tom Brady’s departure, along with the COVID-19 season and a serious lack of weapons are just a few of the reasons. Newton still had a 7-8 record and brought light to a team that could’ve been lifeless — especially without energy from the fans.

This year, Newton has familiarity with the playbook and much-improved depth on both sides of the ball. New England is ready to avenge the 2020 season and Newton will likely spearhead that vengeance tour.

NBC Sports analyst Chris Simms discussed the 32-year-old’s status in the league currently and gave him some credit.

“Cam Newton is still one of the 20 best quarterbacks in football for my money,” Simms said, via NBCSportsBoston.com“It’s not about the quarterback stats all the time, it’s the effect you have on the football game. He’s a little bit of a force of nature that way and I think that sometimes gets swept under the rug. …

“Cam Newton still has got one of the greatest presence of all quarterbacks on the NFL field. He’s a great leader, he’s a great worker. … You have to get over the passing numbers at times, and I understand work needs to be done. He’s one of the best running quarterbacks in football still, and his skillset running the football is one of the things that made that not-very-talented offense somewhat of a threat in certain weeks and it certainly made them one of the best running offenses in football.”

Newton had 137 rush attempts for 592 yards and 12 touchdowns, which was the second-most scores on the ground in his career. The biggest issue when it comes to his starting role is his hand injury and how it gives rookie Mac Jones a leg up in the quarterback race. Jones is the No. 15 pick and Simms listed him at No. 30 in his list despite the fact he doesn’t have an NFL stat.

“Yeah, he’s a rookie, but he’s an experienced rookie,” Simms said. “And I know there’s only 17 games in college, but it’s all those years in Alabama and playing the tough SEC schedule and everything about that. And all the things you hear right now, listen, it’s been nothing but positives. You don’t even hear things about first-round picks in New England. They’re quietly gushing about him. That just tells you it all. He is the most NFL-ready quarterback to come out in the draft this year, hands down.”

Bill Belichick could be facing a difficult decision by the time training camp comes around.

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