Cam Newton was recently released by the New England Patriots. Rookie Mac Jones gets the starting QB job.
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Cam Newton had a below-average 2020-21 NFL season with the New England Patriots. They signed him on a one-year deal after Tom Brady decided to not return with the franchise. He played extremely well for two games, after which he contracted Covid-19, something he never recovered completely from and was visibly deteriorated by.
The Patriots drafted Mac Jones, QB from Alabama with the fifteenth pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Fans were quick to point out the similarities between Jones and Tom Brady, as both of them were predominantly pocket passers and did not possess any extraordinary athletic ability.
They did decide to bring Cam back for another season, but as is now evident, their plans for the future were completely different. After a pre-season full of observation, the Patriots released Cam Newton and announced Mac Jones as their starting QB.
Here’s why The Patriots released Cam Newton
Mac Jones had an extremely impressive training camp and preseason with the Patriots. He led eight preseason drives in the three games he played. Every one of them resulted in either a touchdown or a field goal. The coaching staff was impressed by his accuracy and believed that he was ready to take over.
Cam Newton recently violated Covid-19 protocols and was forced to sit out 5 straight days of training camp. This did not sit well with the team, considering his history with the virus, and how it impacted his game. It also gave Mac Jones reps with the first team and he was impressive. All these were factors into the Patriots’ decision.
Stephen A Smith gives his take on Cam’s release
ESPN analyst Stephen A Smith believes that Jones’ similarity to Tom Brady is one of the main reasons why HC Bill Belichick was inclined towards giving Mac the starting role and that Cam’s play-style couldn’t have succeeded much under Belichick’s system
He also believes that the connection Bill has with Alabama HC Nick Saban had a lot to do with Mac becoming QB1. Saban was the defensive coordinator to Belichick’s Cleveland Browns, from 1991-94, and they have had a longstanding relationship ever since.
It was visible to everyone, including Cam, that Mac Jones was the future in New England. Cam is now one of the top free-agent QBs available on the market and some other team is surely going to pick him up. There is still a lot he can bring to the table, being one of the best dual-threat QBs the sport has ever seen. New England was just not the place for him to showcase his abilities to the fullest.
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