COMMENTARY
While Cam Newton is the favorite to start as a New England quarterback in Week 1, there are a few factors to consider that could help Jarrett Stidham’s case.
Not too long ago we were discussing who would win the Patriots’ starting quarterbacks competition between Stidham and Brian Hoyer. Following Tom Brady, the Patriots’ QB choices earlier this season were a retired veteran backup at Hoyer and a talented but inexperienced player at Stidham. No one could be blamed for lacking enthusiasm for choosing between them after having seen Brady for the past 20 years.
However, the signing of former NFL MVP Cam Newton completely changes any conversation about the Patriots’ plans at quarterback, and significantly raises the talent ceiling on the position for the 2020 season.
By signing Newton with a minimum one-year contract worth up to $ 7.5 million, the race for the starting quarterback job at Foxborough now appears to be between two former Auburn Tigers quarterbacks, Newton and Stidham. Even the official depth chart on the team’s website has Newton and Stidham as the starting quarterback.
The debate on Stidham vs. Newton is much more entertaining than Stidham vs. Hoyer. It’s still not a lockout to declare Newton the runaway favorite to be the Patriots’ starting QB in Week 1. In a vacuum, Newton has the talent and the resume to be the top choice over Stidham, but there are several factors that will go into it. At stake playing in a training ground that could influence competition for Stidham.
Familiarity with the playbook.
Much is still unknown about the 2020 NFL football timeline in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. The league and its players have yet to agree on health and safety protocols, and while the training camps will begin on July 28, individual state mandates and guidelines could affect teams’ ability to start the training camp. training if large group meetings are prohibited again.
With the possibility that an already shortened training camp will be further reduced due to the coronavirus, this could be a major impediment to Newton’s drive to win the initial job this summer. Newton can spend all the time in the world studying the New England playbook on his own, but without the right amount of repetitions on the field with his new teammates, he might have a hard time catching up on what will surely be a Quick. training camp rhythm this summer.
Stidham, on the other hand, has the benefit of a year on the Patriots’ offense under his belt. While the New England offense is expected to undergo some changes this season, Stidham still has more familiarity with the coaching staff, his teammates, and the general buzz of the New England offense. That should help you in your competition with Newton.
Fit in the Patriots’ new offense
As New England shows signs of becoming a first-run power scheme offensive in 2020, starting a quarterback that is so threatening to his legs as to be in the arm at Cam Newton would add another problem for opposing defenses to prepare for, and assist in the offensive transition to, a more ground attack.
Newton, as detailed in our breakdown of his game here, has a lot of experience running the ball out of the read zone, plays RPO and even the triple option. If he’s healthy enough and hasn’t lost any bangs or agility, Newton’s running ability makes him a better fit for what the 2020 New England offensive might look like.
But don’t completely dismiss Stidham here either. Upon leaving high school, in fact, Stidham was known as the best double-threat quarterback recruit in the nation. At Auburn, Stidham made a decent number of RPO plays, and as explained in our breakdown of Stidham’s preseason tape for 2019, the second-year caller can also make plays on the ground.
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Both quarterbacks can make plays with their feet, but only one quarterback is a former NFL MVP and someone who has shown that he can win at the highest levels. Newton should have his leg up here.
Health
The biggest question of all with Newton: At 31, are it the recent injuries that have been cast aside by the abnormalities, or the signs of deteriorating health of a player who has taken a lot of hits on the football field in his race?
Newton’s most recent injury that left him out for most of the 2019 regular season, a Lisfranc injury that required surgery, is troubling for an athlete who relies on his mobility to make many plays. Lisfranc injuries tend to take a while to fully heal, and can be aggravated if athletes return too soon.
If Newton is not 100 percent, the door opens even further for Stidham to win the job with his own performance on training ground. Even if Newton wins the competition, having a capable backup quarterback waiting in the wings like Stidam will be key, as Newton has not played a full season in three of the last four.
Experience
For all the talent Stidham has, it could be that the 2019 fourth-round draft pick simply needs more time to adjust to the NFL before being ready to push for the starting position. Just as Newton could be affected by shortened training camp, so too could Stidham, who will need as many reps as he can to show his teammates and coaches that he’s ready to take the leap and become an NFL starting quarterback. .
Newton, on the other hand, has already led a team to a Super Bowl, has won an MVP, and is a much-appreciated figure in the locker room. When it comes to the resume of both quarterbacks, there is no competition here. Newton has the advantage.
