According to Bill Belichick, Cam Newton is way ahead of where he was last year. Normally that’s a good thing, right?
The thing is, New England just drafted Mac Jones in the first round in April’s NFL draft. Jones and Newton have both done first-team work this offseason. In fact, during the mandatory minicamp, the Patriots haven’t hesitated to throw Jones right into the fire. He easily took the most reps in team drills, and he has looked sharp for most of the sessions.
At a press conference on Tuesday, the media asked Newton how he felt about the team’s decision to draft the former Alabama starter.
Newton responded that it “didn’t make me feel” anything because he thought Jones was the “right pick” and the “best player available” for the team at the time. Newton added that he supported the decision “110 percent” because of the need to do what’s right for the “long haul.”
It is obviously very early in the process, but Newton cannot afford to struggle early on. He does seem to be saying all the right things though.
“Mac n’ Cheese, he’s pretty cool man,” Newton said. “He’s quiet and I think he’s trying to figure everybody out. I’ve been there before. I’ve been a rookie and I’ve been a first-round pick where it’s just like, so much is asked from you. Coming from a situation where you have a lot of people that are your peers, your same age group, and now, what is Mac, 21 or 22? I’m 32 and (Brian Hoyer) is 35, 36. It’s tough.”
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Cam Newton continues to struggle with accuracy. During one 7-on-7 period, he overthrew Nelson Agholor on a post, nearly getting picked by DB Jalen Mills. Then he overshot a wide-open Hunter Henry on a deep over and followed that by skying one over KBourne on a comeback. #Patriots
— Mike Giardi (@MikeGiardi) June 15, 2021
Even with Newton struggling early on, Bill Belichick has had nothing but positive things to say about Newton this offseason. He has repeatedly said that Newton is the team’s starter. Newton has to start performing better practice because it is clear Jones and Newton are competing for the starting job. It’s Newton’s job to lose and quarterbacks drafted in the first round have proven that they are capable of starting in the NFL year one.
–Kevin Tame Jr. is a Staff Writer for Full Press Coverage Sports Media and covers the New England Patriots. Follow him on Twitter @Kevin_Tame