Bill Belichick’s Patriots are generally not very active in the free agency frenzy, allowing other teams to make big bucks during the March Madness edition of the NFL. Meanwhile, New England generally sits back and seeks value later in the offseason, long after the open market has produced its biggest waves. That was the case again this year, though on Sunday the Pats caused quite a stir with Cam Newton’s signing.
New England acquired the 2015 NFL MVP on a one-year contract that includes just $ 550,000 of guaranteed money. While incentives could boost the total value to $ 7.5 million, the contract, which has a base salary of $ 1.05 million, is incredibly affordable for a 31-year-old quarterback as accomplished as Newton. This combination of six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach with the 6-foot-5-foot, 245-pound double-threat QB is absolutely fascinating. And the Patriots’ unmatched adaptability could result in the soccer world seeing the best version of the three-time Pro Bowler in 2020.
Some will scoff at that notion, based on Newton’s recent series of injuries. Fair enough. I have no way of knowing exactly what his current state of health is. But neither do you. And most detractors haven’t paid much attention to Cam’s evolution as a quarterback over the years.
Before suffering a shoulder injury that eventually required surgery, the veteran was enjoying an excellent 2018 campaign that had propelled him directly into the MVP conversation. During the first 11 games of that season, Newton completed 69.6 percent of his passes for 2,699 yards (245.5 per game) with a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 22: 7 and a passer rating of 103.7, while also running for 417. yards and four scores. In that span, Newton showed off a game that was more refined out of pocket but just as dynamic and explosive when he took off as a runner.
Belichick certainly respects Cam’s skill set and recognizes his potential as a unique game maker on the job. The Pats coach has been excited about Newton in the past and those compliments provide a glimpse of what attracted Belichick to exceptional talent.
“I think when it comes to mobile quarterbacks: guys who are hard to handle, can pitch, run, make good decisions … – I would put it at the top of the list,” Belichick said before facing Newton in 2017, according to USE TODAY. “I’m not saying there aren’t many other good players who do that, but I would say that, of all the guys we’ve played recently in recent years, I think he’s the hardest guy to defend. He can run. He’s strong. He’s tough. He can do a lot of different things. He can beat you in many different ways. We saw him in the game in 2013. I would put him at the top of the list. I’m not saying the other guys aren’t a problem, because they are. But maybe Maybe I’m the number one public enemy. “
Considering those sentiments and how the team has previously tailored offenses around minor talents like Matt Cassel, Jimmy Garoppolo, and Jacoby Brissett, it’s very intriguing to imagine how Belichick, Josh McDaniels, and company can exploit Newton’s rare abilities.
I searched the tape of the game to see how the Patriots’ offense could transform in 2020. Here are three things I hope to see in Cam’s rebuilt attack from New England:
