It was supposed to be one of the games of the year.
Jimmy Garoppolo’s return to Foxboro after being traded by the New England Patriots to the 49ers three years ago is slated for Week 7 of the 2020 NFL season, but the decision of legendary quarterback Tom Brady to bring his talents to Tompa Tampa Bay took much of the juice from this matchup.
Garoppolo against Jarrett Stidham (0 starts in his NFL career) did not have nearly the same appeal as a possible showdown between Brady and Jimmy G.
But the Patriots brought some fire to this midseason competition as New England agreed to strike a year-long deal with former NFL MVP quarterback Cam Newton, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Sunday. night.
Former NFL MVP Cam Newton agreed to a one-year, incentive-laden deal with the New England Patriots, league sources @mortreport and I are told.
Newton will now enter the mix to try to help replace former Patriots QB Tom Brady.
– Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 28, 2020
Newton confirmed the news on Sunday night with this post on his Instagram story.
Cam Newton confirms that he will go to the Patriots in his IG story. pic.twitter.com/3kDOd1gDVd
– Ali Thanawalla (@Ali_Thanawalla) June 29, 2020
Newton only played in two games last season when he recovered from a persistent shoulder injury that required surgery in January 2019. The Carolina Panthers gave Newton permission to seek an exchange in mid-March, before releasing him for just a week. after.
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The quarterback is one of the most exclusive athletes in the league, measuring 6 feet 6 pounds and weighing 245 pounds, while he is the NFL’s biggest threat at the position, until Lamar Jackson arrived.
His physical style of play has caused a multitude of injuries over the years, and no one knows what he will look like after almost a year away from the game. He posted a video of himself training with Cleveland Browns’ Odell Beckham Jr. a few weeks ago, and he appeared to be in very good shape.
The 49ers had one of the best defenses in the league last season, but sometimes struggled with more mobile quarterbacks. Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals hung 51 points over San Francisco in two games, although both wins for the Niners. Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens’ dynamic offense didn’t produce the same barrage of points, but it came off with a victory over the 49ers in Week 13. Jackson threw for just 105 yards, but added 101 rushing yards to go with two total touchdowns.
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The Patriots infamously traded Garoppolo to San Francisco mid-season in 2017, as Brady was not ready to relinquish the throne at Foxboro. Fast forward three years, and New England had no one they really trusted to replace the ringing signal that many consider the best QB of all time. Few believed that Stidham was going to be coach Bill Belichick’s long-term replacement for Brady, and that now seems to be confirmed with Newton’s signature.
Belichick hopes he can regain the magic Newton had when he brought the 2015 NFL MVP home, throwing for 3,837 yards and 35 touchdowns and adding 636 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns for a 15-1 Panthers team. As Schefter reported, Newton’s age (31) is usually when the NFL quarterbacks hit their peak.
All Garoppolo has done since leaving New England is to win 79 percent of his starts for the 49ers and lead San Francisco to a Super Bowl LIV appearance. Two-time champion Jimmy G as backup for Brady now has a chance to go back and show Belichick, owner Robert Kraft and the rest of the organization what they gave up on a second-round pick in 2017.
Garoppolo returns to Foxboro and plays in front of the rowdy crowd (if fans are allowed to participate in the games) at Gillette Stadium will be the main story, but if Newton returns to an elite level and the Patriots are on streak entering Week 7, this will be one of the most important matches of the 2020 season.
Start marking your calendars now.
