Patriots: It’s clear the futures of Cam Newton and Julian Edelman are in doubt

It’s not looking likely that Cam Newton and Julian Edelman will return to the Patriots in 2021.

Given that the New England Patriots have found it impossible to establish a semblance of consistency this season, fans are undoubtedly hoping that the front office makes sweeping changes to the roster once the offseason rolls around.

Parting ways with players who underperformed and letting go of aging veterans who are clearly beyond their prime years would be a good start in terms of reminding everybody that the Patriots are the gold standard of the NFL. If you don’t perform or can’t stay healthy, you simply don’t deserve a spot on the team. Better to cut bait one year early, right? That’s what the old Belichick would say.

In his latest column for ESPN, Patriots reporter Mike Reiss touched on the futures of Cam Newton and Julian Edelman, who clearly fall under those two categories. If we learned anything from the article, it’s that it would be surprising if the veteran duo were back with the franchise next season.

While discussing Newton’s future, Reiss implied that head coach Bill Belichick would be the first to admit that he didn’t put him in the best position to succeed this season as far as his surrounding talent is concerned.

At the same time, however, he also noted that Belichick champions “accuracy and decision-making” at the quarterback position, and Newton has failed to live up to those standards in his first year with the Patriots. For the season, the three-time Pro Bowler is averaging just 183.2 passing yards per game to go with 10 interceptions and a middling 79.6 passer rating.

When it comes to Edelman, his proneness to injury over the last two seasons cannot be understated. Assuming he sits out the final two games, he would have only appeared in six contests in 2020 following knee surgery. This comes after an offseason in which he went under the knife to repair knee and shoulder issues.

We know Edelman is more dependent on his craftiness than overall agility, but you can’t help but think that his body will continue to break down as the years go on. Why should the Patriots and their renowned cutthroat culture want to burden themselves with that headache? If they were still as ruthless as ever, the 34-year-old wideout wouldn’t return next season.

It’s not like the Patriots would take a huge financial hit if they were to cut him, either. Edelman is under contract for just $2.8 million in 2021 and comes with a very manageable $2.6 million in dead money if they were to cut or trade him.

Belichick obviously has great respect for both players (especially Edelman), but if he wants to return to contender status next year, he has to prioritize the betterment of the team over his personal relationships with players, and that means some harsh goodbyes will have to be had.

Patriots fans must be fuming watching Tom Brady dominate en route to playoffs

We have to admit, it's not pleasant for New England Patriots fans to watch Tom Brady dominate for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers en route to the playoffs.