The sport’s world is thrilled with the news, as it is declared that QB Cam Newton has found a new home for himself, with a team that just gave up its megastar quarterback.
This former NFL MVP Quarterback has finally signed a deal for one year with the New England Patriots. ESPN and NFL Network announced this news, and the deal is said to be about $7.5 million.
The Player QB Cam Newton
Newton, who was declared the No. 1 all-around pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, has led his old team the Carolina Panthers to three consecutive NFC South titles from 2013-15 and made a Super Bowl entrance during the 2015 season when he was bestowed the league MVP. He also attained three Pro Bowls in nine seasons.
The Panthers finished 15-1 in the 2015 Super Bowl season and Newton won his league MVP honors after throwing for 3,837 and 35 touchdowns and rushing for 636 yards and 10 TDs.
But he faced criticism after Carolina Panthers suffered their 24-10 loss to the Denver Broncos, in the Super Bowl, for not jumping on a loose ball late in the game and also for cutting his postgame news conference short.
Newton, who is also known for winning the national championship and the Heisman at Auburn, has thrown for 29,401 yards with 182 TDs and 108 interceptions as a professional.
He is regarded as one of the most athletic players to ever play the position and also among the league’s top dual-threat Quarterback, the 6-foot-5-inch, 248-pounder has 4,806 rushing yards and added 58 TDs.
Newton, though he was particularly hampered by a shoulder injury, played in fourteen games in 2018. The quarterback acknowledged his injury at the end of a six-game losing streak that torpedoed a season that started 6-2. Over the first seven games, Newton threw for 13 TD.
He underwent surgery and was poised for a year before the foot injury. Newton has battled his foot, shoulder and lisfranc problems in recent years, the latter destroyed his 2019 season.
Here are few sharp impressions on the newest New England signal-caller:
1. A lightning-bolt move.
The picking up of Newton is certainly an interesting strategy to kick off the post-Tom Brady Era. A big (6-foot-5), strong-armed passer, when he’s been healthful and robust, Newton has been a dynamic offensive presence on the field.
The 2015 Super Bowl season was his absolute zenith: he captured the NFL MVP award while leading his old team Panthers to a 15-1 mark and Super Bowl 50. In that season, he completed 60 per cent of his passes for 3,837 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions.
If he reaches close to reproducing those numbers in the New England offence in 2020, the Patriots and their fans will be very glad.
2. A Possible Seismic shift –
With Newton in the centre and a fleet of game-worthy running backs (James White, Rex Burkhead, Sony Michel, Damien Harris, and others) on the backfield, this could prove to be a true new ground-and-pound team when it comes to season 2020.
While one can argue about his accuracy at times, the 31-year-old QB Cam Newton has carved out his niche as one of the best running quarterbacks in the game – he has 4,806 rushing yards in his career, and six seasons of at least 500 yards or more on the ground.
He is the first true mobile quarterback New England has had on its roster ever since Steve Grogan. It was during his rookie season that he broke Grogan’s record for most rushing touchdowns in a season by a quarterback.
3. His true Potential
It’s unknown just how healthy Newton is now, especially considering that it was the main reason he has been unsigned deep into June. Even though he is a quarterback that was an NFL MVP just five years ago.
According to ESPN Newton is in rehab for his foot. He also finished a physical administered on March 23. A source admitted that both his shoulder and foot were “checking out well”, while further adding that Newton “is hungrier than ever and eager for the next opportunity.”
But perhaps the Patriots have recently got a reason to be confident in his health, though the reasons remain unknown to the rest of the class.
If he’s back to his form, Newton can potentially give the Patriots an offensive dimension they haven’t had under Belichick. He has proved himself to be the all-time leader in career rushing touchdowns by a quarterback (58).
Though people are certainly free to speculate on the motivations of both Newton and the team in regards to this transaction, and most are even wondering about this newest gamble, the fact remains that the Patriots has very less to lose while much to gain from this deal.
Hopefully, this will be an interesting season.