Signing of Cam Newton takes Patriots out of Tank for Trevor race

The Patriots land former MVP quarterback Cam Newton

The New England Patriots finally have their replacement for Tom Brady. While it took them a few months, Bill Belichick looks to extend his dynasty now with the signing of former MVP and Carolina Panthers’ quarterback Cam Newton.

While many, including Pro Football Talk’s Chris Simms, thought New England would turn the keys over to last year’s draft pick Jarrett Stidham. However, that seemed highly unlikely from the very beginning unless the Patriots had one plan: tank for Trevor Lawrence.

Newton, only 30 years old and fully healthy for the first time in three years, has the chance to get back into form as he could go on to play for another decade. Should this happen and Newton plays a full season in New England, then it is a safe bet to say they are no longer a threat to land the Clemson phenom quarterback.

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Instead, given his age and versatility, the Patriots may have actually upgraded at the quarterback position far into the future. Given that Brady is 43 years old, a difference of 13 years could make a world of difference for the Patriots and the state of their franchise.

In the past, however, the Patriots have not been shy of taking a quarterback despite stability at the position. Drafting Jimmy Garoppolo then having to trade him for a second round pick, Jacoby Brissett got them a solid return; could Stidham be in the same boat with veteran Brian Hoyer still on the roster.

While Trevor Lawrence is looking vastly out of the question, the Patriots (who have been mobile in the draft) could still look to trade up. Potentially a tier-two quarterback like Jamie Newman, who is set to ignite a stagnant Georgia offense, or Kyle Trask would make sense for them.

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Back off the streets and on an NFL roster, Cam Newton has landed with his new team. If he can stay healthy, there is no doubt he is still one of the top-15 quarterbacks in the NFL. As New England adjusts to life with Brady, the addition of Newton will help smooth that out.

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