It’s the Mac Jones show in New England as former MVP Newton becomes free agent
Cam Newton has officially been cut by the New England Patriots. After weeks of beat writers and reporters hinting that Mac Jones could beat out Newton for the starting job, the Alabama rookie is set to be the Patriots’ starting quarterback for the 2021 season.
Out of the four first-round quarterbacks, it is tough to argue that Jones looked the best throughout the preseason. Out of Jones’ 12 preseason drives, he’s led the Patriots on eight scoring drives compared to only four punts.
While Newton being cut comes as a bit of a surprise, Jones winning the starting job should not. New England drafted the former Heisman candidate 15th overall for a reason, and he’s given Bill Belichick and the Patriots every reason to hand him the keys.
New England spent more money this off-season than any other team in NFL history, and while the Bills might have the AFC East in a chokehold, a wild-card berth is certainly in the realm of possibility in the loaded AFC. One thing we all should have learned over the past two decades is to not bet against Belichick.
The question remains on what happens next for Newton. The 32-year old veteran posted on social media following his release telling fans to not worry, stating ‘I’m good.’
32 is not considered old for quarterbacks anymore as it’s no longer abnormal for QBs to have their best seasons in their mid to late 30’s. Tom Brady just won his 7th Super Bowl during his age 43 season. Aaron Rodgers won league MVP at the ripe old age of 37. While nobody is confusing Newton with two of the greatest quarterbacks of all-time, there is reason to believe he might still have some left in the tank.
It’s hard to believe Newton will be without a job for too long. Whether it’s as a stop-gap starter, or as one of the league top-backups, there is certainly still a place for the former MVP.
One landing spots that makes sense might be with the Philadelphia Eagles. Like Newton, Eagles starter Jalen Hurt’s strength lies in his ability to make plays with his legs. Bringing Newton into to mentor the young signal caller feels like a winning situation for all involved. The problem is the Eagles just traded for Gardner Minshew, an outstanding backup in his own right. Are the Eagles willing to crowd their QB room even further?
Another potential landing spot could be the Houston Texans. Tyrod Taylor and rookie David Mills make up one of the worst quarterback rooms in the league, so there’s little doubt adding Newton would be an instant upgrade. Yet while Newton may help the Texans eek their way to two or three extra wins in what seems to be an already doomed season, that might not be in Houston’s best interest in the long term.
The Texans are at the beginning of a complete rebuild, so any win may just mean a worst draft pick in the 2022 draft. Is winning a random week six or seven matchup in an already lost season worth losing out on a potential elite prospect? Probably not.
Then we come to the Denver Broncos. The Broncos quarterback situation has been an unmitigated disaster since Peyton Manning retired. It’s not like Teddy Bridgewater or Drew Lock won over anybody this offseason. The Broncos have a roster loaded with talent, and with Vic Fangio’s seat hotter than the Sun, it’s not hard to imagine a desperation signing of Newton in an effort to save his job.
Time will tell what lies ahead for the former Heisman winner, but for now he’s forced to wait for his phone to ring.