Cam Newton supported the Patriots' pick of Mac Jones. Can he beat out the rookie QB?
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — When the Patriots selected Mac Jones with the 15th overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, it spoke volumes about the team’s thoughts on its quarterback position. The Pats offense was abysmal in 2020.
The quarterback play from starter Cam Newton and backups Jarrett Stidham and Brian Hoyer left much to be desired.
But the 31-year-old Newton was re-signed to a one-year "prove-it" deal to return to New England. The former MVP wants to regain his Pro Bowl form. He wants to make it work with the Patriots. Newton also knows he’ll have to be a lot better than he was last year. As for Jones — the first quarterback to be drafted in the first round by New England since 1993 — Newton understood the decision by Bill Belichick.
On Tuesday, Newton said the selection didn’t bother him. In fact, he supported it — both then and now.
“It didn't make me feel any type of way because he was the right pick. In my opinion, he was the best player available and that's what the NFL draft is for,” Newton said. “As far as you know, having any chip on the shoulder, like I mean, you’re stating the obvious. I don't need too much to get myself going, let alone, you know, that happening and there's no disrespect to Mac. It's no disrespect to Bill and his decision. I supported 110% because you still have to do what's right for the organization for the long haul.”
Belichick has already stated that Newton’s his starting quarterback, but added on draft night that it’ll be up to Jones or Stidham to beat out the veteran. This week’s Patriots minicamp has been somewhat of a struggle for Newton as Jones has looked like the best quarterback over the last two practices.
Newton is saying all the right things, but can he hold Jones off?
How Newton hopes to improve
Newton has a note to remind himself. It reads, "Pre-snap comfort will help post-snap results."
Last season, the veteran signed with the Patriots in late June. There were no OTAs or minicamp due to COVID-19, but he missed all the earlier offseason meetings. When training camp began, Newton entered with a blank slate. Then there were no preseason games to help him learn Josh McDaniels’ offense.
Those issues were part of Newton’s problems in 2020, he says. He finished with his worst career statistical output, tossing just eight touchdowns with 10 interceptions. Newton said he needed a better grasp of the Patriots' offensive system.
“I'm so grateful to have another opportunity to learn it as much as I possibly can,” Newton said. ”In the latter part of the season, it just caught up to me. I was thinking too much. I was trying to be something when it just wasn't enough hours in a day. … We were putting in hours and hours. You can't simulate real live bullets, and that's what it came down to. So it wasn't anything as far as mechanics; it was more or less just overthinking and the comfort level.”
Newton acknowledged that he was disappointed with his performance last season. He certainly didn’t want his career to end with a season like the one he had in 2020. He said there’s no question that he enters this season with a giant chip on his shoulder.
“There are only 32 guys in the world that could say that they're a starting quarterback in this league and, you know, I'm not going to get too personal, but I have a job and responsibility to myself to hold myself to a standard that I know I have to play at,” Newton said. “And it's going to come with proper preparation and that's what it's coming down to.
“It’s going to come down to the comfort of understanding this system. ‘My faults, my bads, I'm going to get them next time’ — those are slowly but surely being flushed out of my vernacular.”
How the Patriots QB competition looks this spring
Newton suffered a setback two weeks ago when he bruised his hand in OTAs. After missing three practices, he returned late last week and has been present for minicamp. Through two days, however, Jones has been the story.
On Tuesday, Newton struggled with the kind of accuracy issues we saw a year ago. He acknowledges he’s still learning and says the competition among all four quarterbacks has been good for everyone.
“As a competitor, I'd be a fool if I didn't think Brian Hoyer wants to be a starter. I'd be a fool not to think Mac didn’t want to be a starter,” Newton said. “I'd be a fool if Jarrett Stidham didn’t want to be a starter, and you'll be a fool not thinking that I don't want to be a starter. But those things happen with the comfort of understanding this system.”
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Cam Newton supported Patriots drafting Mac Jones '110%'
