After months of speculation, Cam Newton has landed on a roster (for now). To the surprise of New England Fans, Newton will be taking his talents north by signing with the Patriots.

Wait…What?!

via GIPHY

As a born-and-raised Pats fan, this is a lot to process. On top of the emotional roller coaster of the Brady free agency, there was the constant barrage of rumors around potential Patriot QBs. From the draft to the host of veteran free-agents, almost every rookie and free-agent QB was tied to New England following Brady’s announced departure.

Patriots’ QB Carousel

With months of hype around Jarrett Stidham, the Pats appeared willing to stand pat. Bringing in Hoyer meant that they had a capable back-up that knew the system. So with the Newton wrench thrown in, who will be starting under center Week 1?

If we know anything about Bill Belichick, he believes every player EARNS their spot on the roster. Newton’s deal will be heavy with incentives, which means his roster spot won’t be guaranteed. New England fans will be closely following training camp and the preseason for what will surely be genuine competition.

Questions about Newton

One thing nobody can question about Cam Newton is his talent. From his rookie season, Cam Newton was one of the most explosive players in the league. Defenses planned against both his arm and his legs. Despite that, it worked, even when the talent surrounding Newton was lacking.

However, we are FAR removed from the Cam Newton of his 2015 MVP campaign. Since that season, Newton has posted a .500 winning percentage and has been beleaguered by lower-body injuries that seriously hampered his explosiveness. Simply put, he isn’t the same guy we saw tear up the league a few years back. With only having started 2 games in 2019, his long-term health is understandably in question.

Regardless of his health, Newton is hungry to compete (as he has demonstrated in countless Instagram posts).