Patriots: fans should be sick and tired hearing Cam Newton isn’t ‘locked in’ as starter

Peter King is the latest NFL insider to suggest Cam Newton isn’t the Patriots starting QB.

Guys. Guys. Guyyyyyyys. Just stop. Please.

We understand there will be a quarterback “competition” in New England when the Patriots open up training camp later this month. But to suggest Cam Newton isn’t the starter at this very moment is just a foolish way to try and stir up controversy.

Patriots fans should be sick and tired of hearing insiders make this claim, which quite honestly has no basis. Because Jarrett Stidham knows the playbook better means he’s standing tall over a nine-year starter and former MVP? Come. On.

Peter King is the latest to suggest Newton still has work to do to win over the QB1 job, though he does say he sees the former Panthers star being the Week 1 starter.

“I disagree with those who think Newton’s a lock to start opening day—if there is one,” King wrote Monday morning. “I think he probably will start . . . but consider that Newton, this morning, has never had one install session with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, has not played fully healthy for 21 months and has had two significant surgeries in that time. Then throw in the fact that the Patriots have never had him on a practice field, and that Newton may not have his first real padded practice with the Patriots till two weeks before opening day. There’s a lot to overcome.

“I think Newton wins the job, but don’t discount the high New England regard for Jarrett Stidham. Belichick simply doesn’t care what anyone thinks about his quarterback situation.”

Yes, we know Belichick doesn’t care, but do we really think the team signed a highly motivated Newton who is just two years removed from one of his best seasons as a starter just so they can watch a contested training camp battle between a former MVP looking to get back to the top of the NFL and a guy who regressed throughout college?

Also, did anyone see how the Patriots Twitter account reacted to the Newton signing? And the fanbase? That alone signals Newton is already the Week 1 starter unless he suffers a significant injury this summer.

Newton has plenty to learn and a lot to work on, but we’re done hearing he’s not the unquestioned Week 1 starter at this point. If his role was up for debate, the Patriots would have never signed him. They wouldn’t have had a reason to if they were that confident in Stidham.