The Patriots will re-sign quarterback Cam Newton to a one-year deal, according to a league source.
The deal is worth “close to $14 million,” according to ESPN.
Newton spent the 2020 season in New England as Tom Brady’s replacement, and passed for 2,657 yards and eight touchdowns. He also missed a portion of the season after testing positive for COVID-19.
The former NFL MVP had strong games early in the 2020 season, including a stellar performance in a September loss against Seattle, but was wildly inconsistent down the stretch. A bout with COVID and injuries to significant teammates like Julian Edelman, David Andrews, and Rex Burkhead didn’t help. He finished with career lows (as a starter) in completions, passing yards, and touchdowns as the team finished 7-9.
Newton did set a new franchise record for most rushing yards in a season for a quarterback with 592. The Patriots went 7-9 and missed the playoffs.
Former Patriots quarterbacks coach Jedd Fisch, who left the team in the offseason to become head coach at the University of Arizona, welcomed the development.
“So Happy to See this! @CameronNewton is a special person and a great player. Can’t wait to watch him excel this season!,” Fisch wrote on Twitter.
In February, Newton said on the “I Am Athlete” podcast that he was interested in re-signing with the Patriots.
“Yes, hell yes,” Newton said. “I’m getting tired of changing, bro. I’m getting to a point in my career where I know way more than I knew last year.”
Newton also believed he’d be better a second time around with the Patriots’ receiving corps.
“Doughboy [N’Keal Harry] knows me. Jakobi [Meyers] knows me. Bud [Damiere Byrd] knows me. The young tight ends know me. The younger guys that are going to come in know me,” he said. “Like, we’re still trying to flush out the 20 years of how it used to be. And I’m going in and I’m saying, ‘That’s not me.’ "
In 2020, the Patriots signed Newton, who was released by the Carolina Panthers, as a free agent just before training camp in July. This time, they have prevented Newton from reaching free agency, which begins on Wednesday when the new NFL “league year” begins.
Newton struggled adapting to New England’s offense and acknowledged his mechanics needed refining and his decision-making (i.e. his internal clock) needed to be quicker.
Jarrett Stidham, drafted in 2019 in the fourth round, is under contract through the 2022 season. He spent last season as Newton’s backup. He played in five games in 2020, and completed 24 of 48 passes for 270 yards, two touchdowns, and four interceptions.
This story will be updated. Christopher Price of the Globe staff and Conor Roche of the Boston.com staff contributed.
Jim McBride can be reached at james.mcbride@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @globejimmcbride.
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Patriots to re-sign quarterback Cam Newton to one-year deal - The Boston Globe"
Post a Comment