A new era is underway in New England, and it’s already a lot different than the one many fans expected to see in the 2020 season.
Cam Newton has joined the New England Patriots’ quarterback room. He brings athleticism, years of experience, and potential MVP-level play to a team that needed it at the position.
With no Tom Brady, the Patriots were expected to turn the offense over to either Jarrett Stidham or Brian Hoyer. And, while there could’ve been upside with those two options, neither of them have shown the ability the Newton has in the past. It’s not clear that Newton has been given the starting job or if he’s the same quarterback following the injuries that kept him out of most of last season, but it appears that he does have the upper hand going into the positional battle.
If Newton does win the job, it will greatly impact many others surrounding the quarterback. These are the four winners and losers from the Newton signing.
Winner: WR Julian Edelman
There may not have been a player that benefitted from Brady’s ability more than Edelman did. Now, instead of having a journeyman backup or a young, unproven quarterback, he’ll have a former MVP getting him the ball. And, Newton has taken advantage of slot receivers in the past. In his three years with Steve Smith Sr. in Carolina, Smith averaged 72 receptions for 1,104 yards. D.J. Moore, another slot receiver, thrived under Newton in the pass-catcher’s rookie season in 2019. If Edelman can be that productive, that should make everyone happy.
Loser: QB Jarrett Stidham
Stidham was expected to win the competition for the starting job this offseason. With Newton in the mix, it will make it extremely difficult for the second-year quarterback to earn that role. Luckily for him, Newton seems to be a short-term solution, so he may get his chance in the near future.