Start Me Up? Newton Knows Patriots Starting Job Is Not Guaranteed
Throughout training camp, New England Patriots quarterback Cam Newton has been ‘first-man-up’ on the proverbial practice call-sheet.
During organized team drills, he has routinely taken his snaps in advance of teammates Mac Jones, Brian Hoyer and the now ex-Patriot Jake Dolegala. When Newton takes the ball, it is usually to lead the team’s first-unit offense. In the Pats preseason opener against Washington, the former league MVP in 2015 was the starting quarterback. In fact, when asked about the position on two separate occasions, Bill Belichick has clearly stated “Cam’s our starting quarterback.”
Therefore, based on the evidence presented, one may deduce that Cam Newton will be the Patriots starting quarterback come September, correct?
Well…not exactly.
When speaking to reporters following the Patriots’ joint practice with the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday, Newton was asked if Belichick has informed him as to whether he will start the season opener against Miami Dolphins on Sunday, September 12.
Here was his response:
While his words might seem to have ominous implications for his future, Newton is still the assumed front runner at the position. From the outset of training camp, he has looked more comfortable running the Patriots’ offense. He has responded better to pressure, and has also developed a seemingly solid synergy with receivers Nelson Agholor, Kendrick Bourne and Jakobi Meyers. Overall, Newton appears to be leading the Pats offense with a greater sense of command than one year ago.
Despite the notable progress he has shown, Newton still has his struggles. At times, he falls back into the habit of holding the football and failing to anticipate open receivers. This has led to some questions regarding Newton’s consistency. With the Patriots showing no signs of moving away from operating under a timing-based system, the 32-year-old will need to show that he is capable of adapting into a system predicated on completions from quick, accurate throws.
Moreover, Newton is facing stiff competition in the form of rookie quarterback Mac Jones. The Patriots 2021 first-round draft choice has shown good movement in the pocket and solid footwork. He has also demonstrated an ability beyond his to run the Pats no-huddle offense, both from under center and from the shotgun. Clearly, the Patriots appear to have designs on Jones becoming their quarterback of the future. However, the proximity of that future is still a matter of conjecture.
Still, Newton remains undaunted at the task that lies ahead. While he is well aware of what remains at stake, he has narrowed his focus to perform at the highest level one day at a time.
“Every single day I’m coming out here with the anticipation to just get better, and that’s the only thing that I can do,” Newton said Monday. “So I can control that. But as far as somebody else’s analogy or interpretation of what Week 1 is, I’m trying to focus on what tomorrow brings and even the adjustments for tonight’s meetings.”
Although Belichick has apparently yet to make his final decision, Newton knows that his primary responsibility is to the team. “There’s no hidden motives or things like that…everything you know, I know,” he added. “Each and every day, I don’t necessarily care about who’s starting. I mostly care about making sure that I put the best product out there for me, and I know Mac (Jones) is feeling the same way, and I know Brian (Hoyer) is feeling the same way.”
With less than one month remaining until the start of the 2021 regular season, the Patriots coaching staff will continue to evaluate the performance of each quarterback. Whether it be Newton or Jones (assuming that Hoyer is not in the running to be the Pats opening day starter) who is chosen is still anyone’s guess.
Evidently, that includes Newton, himself.
