Report: Patriots don’t have immediate interest in Cam Newton

Cam Newton probably won’t be a Patriot.

The New England Patriots aren’t currently planning on pursuing quarterback Cam Newton, according to The Athletic’s Jeff Howe.

In some respects, New England seemed like a solid landing spot for Newton. The 30-year-old quarterback has Super Bowl experience, and Bill Belichick once said Newton was “at the top of the list” among mobile quarterbacks in the NFL. He had a rough 2019 season when he completed 56.2 percent of his passes for 572 yards and an interception before ending the season on injured reserve. Newton’s predicament — a bad season, an injury and his release — might appeal to Belichick, who historically likes to buy low on free agents.

Belichick hasn’t had to do it much at the quarterback position, with Tom Brady at the helm for the last 20 years. But Brady is a Tampa Bay Buccaneer, which has left the Patriots with quarterbacks Jarrett Stidham, Brian Hoyer and Cody Kessler. It’s a group that might need an upgrade.

But apparently, the coach won’t be doing that with Newton.

The biggest problem with a Newton-Patriots connection is probably financial. New England doesn’t have enough cap space to start the season, let alone sign Newton. Surely, the Patriots will finagle the cap to get out of the red, and perhaps, Belichick could push together a respectable offer for Newton. Still, the quarterback’s medical information may be hard to come by during the coronavirus pandemic. Newton’s physicians have declared him healthy, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. But teams like second opinions — and they like the first opinion to be a team doctor (not a player’s doctor).

If circumstances change, perhaps New England will revisit the possibility. But there’s a chance a more aggressive team — like the Los Angeles Chargers or Washington Redskins — will snatch up Newton in the meantime. Stidham will likely remain the front-runner to start in Week 1 — if there is one.

[vertical-gallery id=82873]