In a surprising move, the New England Patriots released quarterback Cam Newton on Aug. 31. This move signals that the Patriots are accelerating their transition period between Tom Brady to their new franchise rookie quarterback, Mac Jones. Selected 15^th overall in this year’s NFL draft out of the University of Alabama, Jones had an impressive preseason, compiling 388 passing yards, one touchdown, and zero interceptions with a 69.2% completion rate (36-52). 

Coming into the 2021 season, most NFL and Patriots fans expected Cam Newton to be the week one starter—making it an especially surprising move from the team. Mac Jones was the fifth quarterback selected in this year’s draft, behind Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Trey Lance, and Justin Fields. However, he has arguably been the most impressive out of the bunch. His play certainly factors into the decision of Cam Newton’s release, which should make Patriots fans excited for this year and the future yet concerned at the same time. The only other quarterback on the 53-man active roster is Jarett Stidham, who was inconsistent at best last year as Newton’s backup. Whether or not Cam Newton lived up to expectations this offseason, you know you have stability, likeability, and veteran leadership at the league’s most important position. Considering these factors and Cam Newton’s statistical efficiency this preseason makes his release a worrisome proposition for New England in an already difficult AFC East division. There are always reasons that the public may not know about, but why not attempt a trade to get back potential assets rather than nothing if you were going to move on anyway?  

It will be interesting to see which teams will be interested in Newton’s services—as he believes he is “better than 32 quarterbacks” in the NFL. Teams that could potentially sign him to a short-term contract are the Washington Football Team, Baltimore Ravens, Jacksonville Jaguars, Carolina Panthers, and New Orleans Saints.  

It’s been literally two decades since the Patriots have opened the season with a rookie quarterback, but Mac Jones has many years of college experience preparing him for this moment. There also isn’t an immense amount of pressure on him compared to many first-round draft pick quarterbacks, as the Patriots are in more or less of a rebuilding phase. This NFL season will be very entertaining for many reasons but tracking how all the rookie quarterbacks perform is one of the most intriguing aspects.