The New England Patriots recently signed former Carolina Panthers QB Cam Newton to a 1-year deal. In this article, writers Jackson McCarty and Chris Spahr will be debating what this means for the Patriots moving forward, and if Cam Newton will even be the starter in Foxborough. Tell us who you think won by tweeting @nexussportsnet
Chris Spahr’s Take
The signing of Cam Newton to the New England Patriots is not something that people should overlook. This isn't the usual veteran quarterback that teams would sign to back up their fresh young starter. Stidham should be worried about his job at the helm. Cam is motivated by being cut and is looking to earn back the respect of his peers. Stidham is still trying to get his bearings in the NFL.
Despite speculation that Cam Newton no longer has the arm strength he once did, he seems plenty confident that he has a lot to offer. This is for good reason, Cam isn’t a shadow of what he once was but is actually more motivated than ever. Newton still has great arm talent and has already been seen working out with his new Patriots teammates.
The idea that Newton is too old to support his style of play is also a myth in my eyes. Russell Wilson has the same scrambling, play extending tendencies and they are the same age. Cam Newton’s age also gives him an edge. The last time Belichick had an intended quarterback under 30 years old was 2006 when Tom Brady was only 29 years old. You can argue that he maneuvered the patriots to the playoffs with a 26-year-old Matt Cassel under center and that is a great point. Tom Brady had a season-ending injury 11 throws into the season and Belichick and Cassel steered the Pats to the playoffs with an 11-5 record. Cassel was still only a back up though, Tom Brady was the starter and was the same age as Cam is now.
I'm not done yet, Cam has plenty more to offer Bill Belichick and one of the biggest is flexibility in playcalling. Cam Newton’s legs allow for longer more elaborate routes and bootlegs that weren’t possible with Bill’s former QB’s. This type of mobility can make Belichick’s offense as dangerous as it has ever been (except 2007, Moss was scary). The mobility may also be necessary as their offensive line develops and departs. With trade rumors swirling around a tagged Joe Thuney and a young Isaiah Wynn that is arguably out of position at left tackle, Cam may need to start so that he can get out of the pocket as it collapses.
This is the last paragraph, I promise. Bill Belichick has never really gone through a rebuilding period. They may seem obvious because he has only had one season below ten wins since 2001 but it has to be said. I have no doubt in my mind that Bill still wants to win and Cam is his best shot at that.
Jackson McCarty’s Take
With the news breaking that Cam Newton is a Patriot, the whole world is in awe of the potential that the former Panthers quarterback brings to Foxborough. I’m not sold on it. To me, there are far more outliers to this deal that make it seem like a red herring rather than a Hail Mary.
First off, there’s no pressure to play him with his $550,000 guaranteed. It would actually help the team out if he misses his incentives, which could tally up to a maximum of $7,500,000. Plus, with only a one-year deal, it doesn’t seem like he’ll be too involved in plans beyond this season. New England has heavy restrictions on cap space. Overthecap.com has them at $992,341 currently and without much wiggle room for another huge contract without letting important pieces walk.
COVID-19 has already been orchestrating change in the NFL, causing the NFL and NFLPA to seek changes to the preseason schedule by either reducing the number of games or removing it entirely. This means there will be little to no time for Cam Newton to acclimate to his new surroundings or to fully learn the playbook. Even in what’s being perceived as a down year, Belichick doesn’t come across as the type of coach that would willingly send his gunslinger in with little knowledge on how to operate in his scheme when he has other, more prepared options. Both Brian Hoyer and Jarrett Stidham have experience with Josh McDaniels’ playbook and would provide for a safer option.
Now, let me make the case for the Quarterback I believe will end up being the mainstay on this roster, Jarrett Stidham. There have been reports that many in the Patriots organization believe Stidham is the next “guy” in New England. These rumors have lingered for a while and New England’s free agency strategy before the Newton signing seemed to suggest those whispers carried weight. All of the way through the offseason, the Patriots reportedly weren’t all that serious in their pursuit to bring Brady home and they sat out on the Teddy Bridgewater, Andy Dalton, Phillip Rivers, and Jameis Winston negotiations. The Pats also held out on taking any of the top QBs in the 2020 NFL draft, with Jacob Eason, Jalen Hurts, and Jake Fromm all available at one or more of their picks. And while they did sign Brian Lewerke as a UDFA, they very clearly felt comfortable with who they had and only decided to look seriously in Newton’s way when he was available for next to nothing. From the outside looking in, there seems to be a certain faith in Stidham.
Their potential faith in Jarrett Stidham isn’t misplaced either. In college, he showed solid ball security and strong leadership traits. His strongest season was in Baylor with head coach Art Briles, where he had 1,265 yards and a 12-2 touchdown to interception ratio over 10 games with only 109 passing attempts. After he transferred to Auburn, he continued to flash promise but in a more mixed bag of success, totaling 5,952 yards, a 63.6 completion percentage, and a 36-11 TD: INT ratio while showing an ability to run with 7 touchdowns on the ground. And while those numbers may not jump off of the page, New England’s most recent starter wasn’t the most impressive before Bill and company got to work with him, and that worked out just fine. In the NFL, development matters so much and Stidham has shown he has the tools to succeed.
The last point I would like to make centers around Josh McDaniels. I’ve mentioned him throughout my take, but he may be the most important person in this whole situation. Every offseason, rumors circulate that the Offensive Coordinator is the front runner for a whole catalog of head coaching jobs. The Pats have managed to fend off potential suitors to this point, but there’s no telling how long they can hold on. If the rumors that McDaniels wants Stidham as the next long-term plan, then Belichick may not have any other choice than to roll with Stidham. Incentivising McDaniels to stay has to be a priority, and if he’s forced into running an offense with a QB he doesn’t feel was his first pick, he may head out of the door.
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