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It’s official.
Cam Newton is coming back to the New England Patriots in 2021, per Jim McBride of the Boston Globe.
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Cam Newton Contract Details
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Cam Newton is returning to the Patriots on another incentive-laden, one-year deal. This one will be worth up to $14 million.
Schefter also noted the deal doesn’t prevent the Patriots from pursuing another QB this offseason.
Twitter Reaction to Newton’s New Contract
After news of Newton’s signing spread, here is some of the reaction from people in the NFL’s Twitterverse. There were actually a few more positives than you might expect.
You’d have to believe, part of the reason Newton is coming back for a second season with the Patriots is because of how beloved he was by his teammates. This reaction from running back Damien Harris is one example.
Wide receiver Julian Edelman followed up the news by simply posting Nelly’s hype track, “Here Comes the Boom.”
Here is more context from Edelman, who spoke with USA Today’s Henry McKenna:
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith doesn’t think it’s a good look for Newton to head back to the Patriots, but his take seems to assume the supporting cast will be the same as it was last year.
The Undisputed’s Shannon Sharpe has a different take.
He believes the Patriots can go back to the playoffs with Newton. I’ll remind you, one of these men played in the NFL, and is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and the other didn’t, and is not.
Here are other responses, including a take from now-former quarterback coach Jedd Fisch.
Newton’s former teammate with the Carolina Panthers, Greg Olsen, who recently announced his retirement, shouted the 2015 NFL MVP out in this reaction post.
Of course, there were some negative responses. You’d have to expect them, and quite honestly, they were pretty funny.
Why Re-Signing Newton Was Smart
Let’s face it when you look at what’s available in the trade and free-agent markets. There weren’t a ton of better and realistic options.
We can mention potential deals for Russell Wilson and Deshaun Watson, but the Patriots weren’t likely to acquire either of them in reality.
If the Houston Texans are going to trade Watson, the Patriots don’t have the draft assets nor the young quarterback to offer that the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins have in their haul of picks and young talent.
Wilson seems pretty locked on going to the Chicago Bears as discussed by Mike Florio and Chris Simms of NBC Sports, or nowhere at all, and the Patriots were never one of the teams he was open to being traded to once the drama started in Seattle, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Those two guys are the best of the potentially available and were seemingly out of the Patriots’ reach. We can look at a deal for Jimmy Garoppolo, which the Patriots reportedly checked on before signing Newton, per CLNS Evan Lazar.
Apparently, the price was too high, or there was a reluctance to make a move. Thus, the Patriots brought back the quarterback they liked a lot more than most media members and the fans who weren’t willing to cut him any slack for playing in a new offense with almost no training camp, COVID-19, and a sub-par group of offensive weapons.
The Patriots will almost certainly draft a quarterback this year, and they may still bring in a veteran to compete with Newton and likely back him up, but they are expecting far more from the 2021 season than they saw in 2020.
Also Read:
- Patriots Get Max Compensation for Losing Tom Brady
- Patriots WR Drawing Trade Interest From NFL Teams: Report
- Top Free-Agent WR Would Be ‘Shocking’ Patriots Signing: Report
- Small-School QB Called Patriots’ ‘Best Fit’ in the Draft
- Patriots Re-Acquire Massive Pro-Bowl T in Trade
