Should the New England Patriots bring back Cam Newton?
The New England Patriots could be without Mac Jones for some time. For that reason, should the team consider bringing back Cam Newton? As I type these words, there hasn’t been an official update on Mac Jones. The second year quarterback suffered a gruesome looking left leg injury late in the fourth quarter of the Patriots’ week three loss.
The AP shots of Mac Jones being carried down the tunnel aren't pretty. pic.twitter.com/0tXSdxa9Ps
— Chris Mason (@ByChrisMason) September 25, 2022
Even if Jones’ injury does not keep him out for the rest of the season, or for an extended period of time, I do think the Patriots should consider bringing Cam Newton back until Jones gets healthy and back into the starting lineup.
Cam Newton was the Patriots’ starting quarterback during the 2020 season. In 15 games started, Newton had 20 total touchdowns, 10 interceptions, 592 rushing yards, and 2,657 passing yards. He was rather inefficient as a passer, only mustering a passer rating of 82.9. He also wasn’t able to complete 60% of his passes
It wasn’t exactly a good quarterback showing from Newton in 2020, but it was something. He still clearly was a threat with his feet and was able to do some damage through the air from time to time. After the Patriots’ drafted Mac Jones in 2021 and progressed through the offseason, Newton was let go, making Jones the rookie starter.
The Patriots are 1-2 and do have a bit of digging to do if they want to keep themselves in the playoff picture. Yes it’s early in the season, but a couple more losses might bury this team. Brian Hoyer and Bailey Zappe don’t exactly inspire confidence in me that they could lead the team while Jones is rehabbing his leg.
Cam Newton is a significantly more dynamic quarterback than either Hoyer or Zappe, and he could help the Patriots continue to prioritize their running game, which is the focal point of their offense. Perhaps this could be a scenario where Hoyer indeed ends up the starter, but Cam Newton comes in from time to time to add a wrinkle to the offense.
I do think New England ends up sticking to what they have on the roster, but even though Cam Newton isn’t nearly what he once was, perhaps he does have a little bit left in the tank to help out.