In a move that stunned NFL fans, the New England Patriots released veteran quarterback Cam Newton on Tuesday. In turn, rookie Mac Jones will take over Newton's spot as start as the Patriots' starting quarterback. This move comes just over a week before the new NFL season opens, much to the surprise of football enthusiasts.

We take a look below at how this development came to be and how it will impact Mac Jones cards.

The Rise Of Mac Jones Rookie Cards

For quite some time, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick reiterated that Cam Newton was the team's starting quarterback. But as it turns out, that turned out not to be the case, with Mac Jones beating out Newton for the starting gig.

During the preseason, the rookie finished 36-of-52 for 389 yards. This stat comes along with a single touchdown and zero interceptions while playing 107 snaps. Among all the Patriots' quarterbacks, Jones' preseason numbers were the best. Even longtime Patriots, such as Trent Brown and Matthew Slater, have praised Jones for carrying himself well on the field while being so young.

On the other hand, Newton started every preseason game as New England's QB but didn't play as well. The veteran finished the preseason with 39 snaps, 14-of-21 for 162 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. This resulted in his release, much to the benefit of Jones.

Thanks to this development, the road for Jones to take more of a leadership role for the Patriots is cleared. Brian Hoyer will likely serve as a veteran backup assuming he returns to the team as expected after getting released. The team also has Jarrett Stidham, a 2019 fourth-round pick, as an option to explore as well.

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After news of his release broke out, Cam Newton took to Instagram to air his side. The veteran expressed gratitude to all those who supported him and asked people not to feel sorry for him. It remains to be seen where Newton will end up in the coming days.

With Mac Jones elevated to a higher level in such a short amount of time, football card collectors will certainly put his stock on notice. As the new NFL season draws near, the hype and speculation for the rookie's cards will gain more momentum.

The Current State Of Mac Jones Rookie Cards

Right before news of Cam Newton's release broke out, Mac Jones' value was quiet. His raw 2021 Panini Chronicles Donruss Optic Draft Picks Rated Rookie Silver card was priced at $31 a day ago. With him becoming the Patriots' starting quarterback, the amount suddenly spiked to $65 on eBay. Base copies of his card, along with other Mac Jones rookie offerings on the market have also gone up. Moreover, there has also been an increase in people selling their cards within the last 24 hours.

As the new NFL season comes closer, there will be more activity when it comes to Mac Jones' stock on the market. Keep an eye out for those good deals while staying away from those looking to take advantage of the hype by overpricing their cards.