With future Pro Football Hall of Fame signal caller Tom Brady a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it initially appeared the New England Patriots would head in an unlikely direction at the quarterback position ahead of the upcoming 2020-21 campaign. However, things turned around in quite a hurry in New England as the Patriots elected to pass on selecting a quarterback in the 2020 NFL Draft while ultimately bringing in former Carolina Panthers signal caller Cam Newton to fill the void left by the aforementioned Brady.
Not only that, though, but the Patriots have managed to seemingly plug every hole their is in terms of having depth at the quarterback position with Newton currently slated to serve as the team's starter. In addition to the presence of Newton, a former league MVP and longtime starter in Carolina, the Patriots also have a legitimate veteran back-up in Brian Hoyer to coincide with an up-and-coming reserve signal caller in Jarrett Stidham, who once figured to be the New England starter under center — prior to the arrival of Newton, of course.
Because the Patriots have a litany of quarterbacks under their control in 2020-21, it wouldn't be too surprising to see head coach Bill Belichick trade one before the start of the regular season. The odd man out should absolutely be Hoyer as the journeyman can be used as a primary back-up just about anywhere in the league. If Hoyer is eventually traded away by Belichick and company, that would leave Newton as the team's bonafide starter, which would absolutely help his confidence after having previously never played anywhere but Carolina, while also giving Stidham the opportunity to serve as the team's go-to option off the bench — another potential confidence booster.
It is also worth noting that both Newton and Hoyer are currently playing under one-year deals in New England, which could allow the team to play for now and the future simultaneously.
If Hoyer is traded and Newton has a poor year in New England, the Patriots could very easily select a quarterback early on in the 2021 NFL Draft. If this is the case, the newcomer under center could compete against Stidham with the Patriots having a pair of talented players to battle it out for the rights to lead the team into the future. On the other hand, if Newton has a great year, he can easily be retained by Belichick with Stidham once again serving as the team's primary back-up. A win win for New England in either scenario, the team can either have stability heading into 2021-22 or have a pair of young quarterbacks at their disposal.
The only objection that can really stem from Hoyer's potential departure via trade, is the fact that Newton is fresh off an injury spelled campaign in Carolina in 2019-20. Many in Carolina point to Newton's continued injury troubles as the main reason for his somewhat surprising exit from the Panthers, though the former league MVP has appeared to be fully healthy throughout the offseason. Obviously there is no absolute guarantee that Newton stays healthy throughout the entire season, but a hobbled Newton will certainly win the Patriots more games than a healthy Hoyer. If the Patriots are forced to turn to Hoyer, it would be more beneficial for the franchise to see what Stidham has in the tank as neither would really put New England in position to succeed.
An injury to Newton would allow the Patriots to see what they have in Stidham, which would be another factor as the franchise moves into the post-Brady era. Because there are quite literally no expectations for this team considering the immense amount of success that the Patriots encountered over the course of the last two decades, Belichick could very well roll the dice and ship Hoyer out of town before the start of the 2020-21 regular season. Knowing the Patriots, though, whatever decision is ultimately made will no doubt be the correct one as anything that Belichick touches continues to turn to gold.
Although there never seems to be a dull moment for the Patriots, the intrigue surrounding the heralded AFC East franchise this time around stems from a very different place for once. However, if Newton can come in and perform at a high level once again, it would be very “Patriots” for the team to perfectly transition from Brady to another standout at the quarterback position. Despite the fact that he will initially play on a one-year deal, Newton could very well earn himself a long-term deal in New England before all is said and done.
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