Do you think Cam Newton to New England has been the right fit? Let’s explore! The Patriots are 6-7 and coming off a loss to the Rams where the New England offense was unable to put the ball in the endzone. This inconsistency on the offensive side of the football has been a recurring theme throughout the 2020 season.
Losing isn’t acceptable in New England and the biggest change this season for the Patriots has been at the quarterback position. Cam Newton has been the heir to the dynasty that Tom Brady built before he signed with Tampa Bay to get an early start on his Florida retirement. It’s no surprise that the center of the scrutiny has been the new signal-caller, Cam Newton.
Cam Newton has been far from spectacular in 2020, but Bill Belichick has continued to defend the 31-year-old quarterback. It would be surprising if the Patriots found a way to sneak into the playoffs so fans like myself, have begun turning their attention towards the 2021 season.
The New England front office has a big offseason ahead of them because a lot of questions need to be answered regarding the whole team. However, there isn’t a bigger question mark for the team than Cam Newton.
Is Cam Newton to New England the right fit? Here’s what I think…
The Resume
Cam Newton has been a phenomenal quarterback at times throughout his career. He led the Panthers to a Super Bowl 50 appearance in the 2015-16 season. Carolina was defeated by Denver by a score of 24 to 10. This loss didn’t diminish Newton’s 2015 season success. He was named NFL MVP and headlined the All-Pro First Team offense. Newton was also named Rookie of the Year in 2011 and has been on three Pro Bowl rosters.
The majority of quarterbacks that have taken an NFL snap cannot say the same thing about their individual careers. Newton was elite at one point in his career, but he hasn’t lived up to the hype in his first season with the Patriots.
The Benefit of the Doubt
I’m always one of the first people to blame Cam Newton, but I want to give him the benefit of the doubt. This year will be the first time that the Patriots haven’t won the AFC East since 2008.
Let that fact sink in for a second…
The past nineteen years in New England have been one the greatest runs by any franchise in NFL history. Tom Brady and Bill Belichick were the centerpieces of this dynasty and now the GOAT has left for a new team.
New England fans have been spoiled in the sense that when we used to turn the Patriots on, we would expect a victory.
Cam Newton and the 2020 Patriots have been an adjustment for everyone. I don’t know if the Patriots will win on any given Sunday and that’s a tough thing to deal with after close to 20 years of dominance.
This is a new Patriots team, so all critics need to keep that in mind when assessing Cam Newton. Another important thing to remember is that the Patriots don’t have a lot of offensive weapons.
Julian Edelman looked like he wanted to pull a Gronk and find a way to end up in Tampa Bay the way he was playing before he went on the IR. The rest of the receiving corps is average in my opinion. Newton hasn’t had a lot of help, but this doesn’t completely negate his performance this season.
Is MVP Cam Still Alive?
Cam Newton is not the same quarterback that he was a few years ago. He has shown life throughout the year, but every time he has taken a step forward it has been followed by two steps backward.
Newton’s QBR is 46.3 which is 29th in the league. He has thrown for 2,172 yards with five touchdowns and ten interceptions. Newton hasn’t done much with his arm, but he has contributed on the ground.
He’s averaging four yards per carry and has scored eleven rushing touchdowns on the year. However, he has fumbled four times this season. These turnovers have blown victories for the team in 2020
Is Cam Newton to New England the Right Fit?
I don’t think Cam Newton to New England is the right long term fit by any means. I think the Patriots need to pick a quarterback in an upcoming draft, but this isn’t necessary in 2021. It will cost the Patriots too much to trade up for Trevor Lawrence, but it wouldn’t surprise me if they took a quarterback like Mac Jones on day two.
The Patriots need to draft some weapons this year. Newton has the ability to be a starting quarterback in the NFL and win games with some reputable help on offense. This will automatically make the Patriots’ passing game better than it has been all season long.
I don’t think the Patriots should sign Cam Newton to a big contract because he hasn’t played well enough to ink a solid deal. I know he is loved in the New England locker room, but friends shouldn’t warrant a big contract.
I believe the Patriots should give Newton a small two-year deal. This is enough to give the quarterback some certainty while preparing for the future at the same time.
Putting all of this aside, I’m excited about the future of New England football. If any franchise can recover, it’s the Patriots. This season has been tough, but I’ll never stop riding or dying with every snap of New England football.
