With Tom Brady having made the decision to try somewhere new in the National Football League (NFL) and move south to join up with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots had a monumental task ahead of them; who do they try and get in to replace TB12?
Cam Newton appears to have been the man they decided to pluck for and it could be a move that pays off for the Patriots as well as any other move they have made in the past has. The quarterback has all the ability, is a previous MVP (most valuable player) winner, and is a veteran of the game.
Those betting on the NFL would do well to follow what Belichick has done in the past for future success, as well.
Belichick has already shown he likes Newton
Belichick has even praised Newton in the past, stating in 2017: “He’s the hardest guy to deal with’ … “I think when you’re talking about mobile quarterbacks, guys that are tough to handle, tackle, can throw, run, make good decisions – I mean, I would put Newton at the top of the list.” Therefore, it is clear the legendary coach believes the 31-year-old could be the perfect fit for the franchise.
Newton should have no problem learning a new playbook and a new way of offensive play as he has been around the league since being drafted as the number 1 overall pick in the 2011 draft and led the Carolina Panthers to a Vince Lombardi trophy at Super Bowl 50; leading the Panthers to a win record of 15-1 for that season.
Experience and weapons can create a winning combination
The experienced quarterback arguably has something to prove as he rarely featured for the Carolina Panthers in the previous season, whilst injuries have also got the best of him. As such, a fresh start in Boston could be exactly what he needs, whilst the world-renowned franchise certainly has some moving on to do of their own.
As mentioned, Brady has been synonymous with Belichick and New England’s success over the years, and it is understandable, however the organisation owned by Robert Kraft needs to progress and look to life without their former star man. Add this to the fire that Belichick may need to prove that he can work with any quarterback in his offence successfully, a recipe for success could well and truly be on the cards.
Newton will still have weapons available to him in his arsenal, with the likes of Julian Edelman in the slot, wide receiver N’Keal Harry providing a physical presence, as well as the experienced Mohamed Sanu and running-backs such as James White and Sonny Michel and are arguably better than what he had in Carolina over the last few years.
Attitude and Ego may be a concern
Of course, the one thing that could determine whether the veteran quarterback is a success at the Gillette Stadium is his attitude and his apparent ego. Newton’s personality could be seen a little too big for the Patriots’ dressing room and one that Belichick may not be too inclined to want to deal with.
However, with that said, he is a professional athlete and the Patriots are a franchise that continue to get the best out of their roster – Rob Gronkowski could be accused of having the same ego as Newton, however he had a huge amount of success before following Brady to Tampa Bay and coming out of retirement.
Verdict
The New England Patriots might not be getting the same Cam Newton of 2015 that led the Panthers to their 15-1 Super Bowl-winning trip, however they are getting a player who can make plays and has the experience of making the offense as dangerous before.
Of course, Bill Belichick appears to know what he is doing, has openly admitted he likes what Newton brings to the table with his style of play and over the last 20 years, if it has not already become clear, it’d take a wise person to bet against the New England coach when he makes a decision.
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