Carolina Panthers: Why Patriots’ lack of interest in Newton is foolish
By Dean Jones
The New England Patriots are not reported to be interested in former Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, which could be a mistake.
It isn’t expected to be much longer before former Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton ends up with a new home. The dust has officially settled following the NFL Draft and attention will now turn to veteran free agents who are still on the market.
Newton finds himself on this list after he was released by the Panthers in a messy departure earlier this offseason. The timing restricted the 2015 NFL MVP’s options achieving a starting position and it remains to be seen which franchise will represent the best opportunity for the player to bounce back in 2020.
There has been plenty of speculation linking him with a move to the New England Patriots. But despite intense rumors, the organization does not consider Newton as a viable option going forward.
This seems like an incredibly strange decision, especially when one considers the current options available to Bill Belichick. The loss of legendary quarterback Tom Brady to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers leaves the Patriots with just Jarrett Stidham and Brian Hoyer as their options next season.
The franchise does reportedly have high hopes for Stidham. But to say he is on the level of a healthy Newton is absurd.
Much will depend on how the player comes back from a serious foot injury. And there is also the difficulty of getting a proper team medical assessment from any interested party due to the coronavirus pandemic.
All this seems to be working against Newton. But if he is back to anything like his best in 2020 it is foolish for the Patriots to rule out a short-term deal for the player.