Patriots-Giants joint practices let Cam Newton reignite old rivalry
By Mike Luciano
Cam Newton and the New England Patriots will gear up for a 2021 season that promises to be much more watchable than anything their poor offense was able to show off last year.
With oodles of talent around him, Cam and the passing game should be able to take that next step forward.
Cam is trying to return to his Carolina Panthers days, where he and wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin looked poised to become one of the best young quarterback/receiver combinations in the league.
Unfortunately, for one reason or another, Benjamin soured on Cam and forced his way out.
Benjamin almost fell out of the league permanently due to his lack of production, and he decided that the only way to save his career was to officially make the switch to tight end this offseason. The ex-Panther could try to show off his chops at this new position against Newton and New England once practices start kicking into high gear.
Benjamin’s New York Giants and Newton’s Patriots appear lined up to conduct joint practices together, which likely came from Joe Judge’s connection to Belichick. One of the more savory cuts of beef the NFL has seen in the last few years might finally get thrown back on the grill once again.
Remember that time when Cam Newton made Kelvin Benjamin look good and then he carried the Panthers to the Super Bowl without KB the following year?
— Graham Barfield (@GrahamBarfield) April 5, 2020
Patriots: Cam Newton and Kelvin Benjamin don’t like each other.
Benjamin almost topped 1,000 yards twice in his first two full seasons under Newton, but he was only able to haul in barely more than 51% of his targets from the gunslinger. His lack of speed made it impossible to separate. After getting traded to the Buffalo Bills, Benjamin falsely claimed that his lack of production was due to Newton’s inaccuracy.
Benjamin went so far as to praise Nathan Peterman, of all people, claiming that he was a more accurate passer than Newton. Cam tried his best to settle the feud man-to-man, but Benjamin seemingly had no interest in that.
Benjamin has recorded just 41 catches in the time since the trade, and he made it just a season and a half in Buffalo. He’s decided to finally eat that Popeyes biscuit that forced his position change, and that could reignite the rivalry.
The Panthers were an average team with Benjamin in 2014, before Newton turned in one of the greatest seasons in NFL history in 2015, going 15-1 while winning MVP after the wideout went down. He regressed when Benjamin came back. Perhaps this is the time where Newton and Benjamin could bury the hatchet.
Don’t bet on it, however. Unless something very drastic has happened, Benjamin might be in the mood to scrap a bit.
