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If an NFL team drafts a QB in the first two rounds, there is a good chance they don’t view their current starter as the long-term solution.
Both the New England Patriots and Chicago Bears drafted a QB in the first round. The Bears took the dynamic Justin Fields with the No. 11 pick after trading up to get into a position to draft the Ohio State star.
The Patriots stayed pat at No. 15 and watched Mac Jones fall to them despite rumors that there was interest in the Alabama star as high as No. 3 to the San Francisco 49ers.
At some point, Fields will be the QB1 in Chicago, but it won’t be in Week 1 of the NFL season. The Bears’ head coach has named veteran and recently signed Andy Dalton as the starter. Patriots fans: does any of this sound familiar?
Cam Newton and Andy Dalton are Trying to Hold Off Hard-Charging Rookies
Dalton has said he knows Fields’ time is coming, but it’s not right now. Much of the Bears’ fanbase wants Fields to start Week 1 against the Los Angeles Rams, which had the best defense in the NFL in 2020, and are anchored by Aaron Donald upfront with all-world cornerback Jalen Ramsey in the secondary.
The Patriots re-signed Cam Newton after a tough 2020 campaign that saw the team miss the playoffs for the first time in more than a decade. Newton didn’t have a great season, but he also wasn’t blessed with good weapons, and he caught COVID in Week 3.
Despite this situation, many fans still want Jones to start Week 1. So, much like Dalton, Newton knows Jones’ time is coming, but he’s doing his best to make sure it’s not this season.
Both Dalton and Newton are on one-year deals, and they will almost certainly be elsewhere in 2022. However, if they can help it, they will leave their current teams on their own terms.
A.J. Hawk appeared on the Pat McAfee Show, and he too recognized the similarities.
It’s interesting how similar Cam Newton’s situation is with Andy Dalton. It’s different in ways but really they’re both up against a tough task. The person behind them has a ton of support & they’re playing very well.
For more parallels, both Newton and Dalton were drafted in 2011. Newton went No. 1 overall and Dalton went 35th overall in the second round.
While there are several similarities, there’s also a few differences.
The Bears and Patriots Are in Different Spots
No matter who starts at QB for the Bears, they’re probably not a contending team. If they eek into the playoffs, it would be a bit of a surprise. The offensive line has tons of question marks, which is scary when you consider putting a rookie quarterback under center.
Playing Fields could make sense if you’re thinking of giving him an opportunity to grow with a roster that is somewhat in transition. It also makes sense if you consider the Bears’ front office and head coach are likely in a win-or-else situation.
General manager Ryan Pace needs Fields to be successful and Nagy has to prove he can develop a young quarterback after things went sideways with Mitchell Trubisky.
This is not the situation in New England.
Bill Belichick is the head coach and general manager, and he isn’t in a win-or-else predicament. Also, the Patriots look very much like a playoff team on defense, sans a few depth issues in the secondary. On offense, the weapons are improved and they might have the best running back group in the NFL, along with a potentially elite offensive line.
The question is: does a legendary coach who likely only has a few years left on the sidelines want to play a rookie quarterback after spending tons of money to put together a roster that will be competitive?
The answer is probably no, though Jones’ command of the offense and work ethic are probably creating at least a question in his mind. Jones looks like he’ll be firing on all cylinders in 2022, but the best-case scenario is for Newton to play well this season, thereby eliminating the need to accelerate Jones’ elevation.
The situation is the same with the Bears. So, like Dalton in Chicago, Newton will almost certainly start in Week 1 for the Patriots. However, if either of them slip, you can bet the rookies will be taking their place soon.
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