The New England Patriots are making headlines right now for two different reasons. First, they're being penalized for illegally filming the Cincinnati Bengals' sideline during their Week 14 game against the Cleveland Browns. Second, they just signed their new quarterback for the upcoming season by nabbing 2015 NFL MVP and former Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton to a one-year deal.

Here's how these two things can be related.

According to ESPN’s Mike Reiss, the Patriots are going to lose a third-round pick in 2021, pay a $1.1 million fine and be barred from having team TV crews film games next season.

However, we've learned from ESPN's Adam Schefter that they might have found a way to make the punishment sting just a little bit less. If Newton plays well and winds up leaving next offseason as a free agent, the Patriots could get a third-round pick back in 2022:

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It just goes to show that the Patriots are just always thinking one step ahead of the rest of us. They didn't even let the news of the punishment resonate long enough before pulling off another big move of their own.

Of course, this is still predicated on the idea that Cam Newton does in fact play well. If he can even come close to what he once was for the Panthers, then New England might not even think about the compensatory pick.

If there's one team that we all might expect to resuscitate Newton's career, it was always going to be Bill Belichick and his boys. Now we'll just have to see if the former MVP has any magic in the tank and if he can capably fill Tom Brady's big shoes. The 31-year-old only appeared in two games last season because of injury, but he's not far removed from being a dangerous threat.