@bob806 said:

If his shoulder is ok, they win the AFC East again. 

The Bills disagree. 

@mjp28 said:

And then there's the head coach factor.

Hey maybe Bobby Kraft can hook him up some  Asian massages for his aging football body... LOL

@unsympathetic said:

So this has a chance of working out..

And then there's the head coach factor.

Each of those at their best might fight for the 4th spot if they were at the 2020 Pats training camp.. maybe Ginn as return man but not much as WR.

Pats 2020 WR are N'Keal Harry, Edelman, Sanu, and someone named Damiere.

In his pre-injury 2018:

8.7% of Cam's passes went 20+ yards, the LOWEST rate among all starters.

Other stats: 7th in adjusted completion/10th in rating/27th in sacks/22nd in % of throws pressured.  The last two are flipped - 32nd is the best. 

So this has a chance of working out..

@d-bone said:

https://sports.yahoo.com/richard-sherman-points-out-the-big-problem-with-cam-newtons-ridiculous-patriots-contract-140142128.html

..... and no, the pink link was not an accident. 

He, like a lot of us, may see these guys being in their prime and believe they will play (and in some cases, feel they should be paid that way).   Cam,  BR, and others. 

When maybe, in fact, these guys are just like  Johnny Unitas with the Chargers,  Joe Namath with the Rams,  Willie Mays with the Mets. That sort of thing. 

..... and no, the pink link was not an accident. 

@bob806 said:

when healthy he's a beast.

he will NEVER do again what he did during the MVP season.. his injuries and age prevent that. 

He has had rotator cuff surgery and "more than rotator cuff" surgery both on his throwing shoulder and Lisfranc surgery on his left foot.  He has arthritis in his shoulder as a result.

Yes, it's true that he "Should be good to go" on the shoulder for 2020.. OK.  But he was never very accurate to begin with - 22 TD/16 INT last full season he played - and he's now over 30 years old, when even RB's lose their athleticism/short-area quickness.. which was always the item separating Cam from the rest.

On paper something sounds plausible - but Pats also don't have any contested-catch receivers outside of Aiyuk for Newton's ridiculous YOLO decision-making / poor accuracy even when he picks the right target.

@vambo said:

Report: Baker Mayfield on notice as Cleveland Browns flirt with Cam Newton

https://dawgpounddaily.com/2020/06/29/cleveland-browns-cam-newton/

I would only take Cam as a back up if that were the case... I would rather start the younger QB... Cam has talent.. No ones disputing that... But it's kind of dumb to mentally take the steam out of your starter who appears to be working hard for this...

@bob806 said:

Nothing's easy in the NFL, and the Bills are pretty tough. 

Don't forget, Cam was an MVP. He's a goof, but when healthy he's a beast.

He's a different kind of beast who, when a defense is prepared to commit to patience - can be limited and frustrated rather easily.

Ever since that MVP season, his passing has regressed to pre-MVP form.   Honestly, closer to the median of what he was tossing at.   Think like... v Seattle in the playoffs.   If the Pats are unwilling to put him in harms why by using his legs by design, then his effectiveness as a passer, while not anywhere near as limited as someone like Lamar Jackson or Tebow, tends to take a pretty big hit.

@tiamat63 said:

I really don't think it's that easy.  Especially taking a typically sub 60% passer and placing him in an offense that was as complex and varied as NE's.  

You lose a great deal of potency exiling Brady and cutting down the playbook.  

Nothing's easy in the NFL, and the Bills are pretty tough. 

Don't forget, Cam was an MVP. He's a goof, but when healthy he's a beast.

@canton-mike said:

This will be interesting. Certainly, if healthy & given the freedom to do so, Cam can make things happen. Belichick? He ain't one of (if not THE) greatest for nothing.

Mike

I think Cam is a beat up version of his old self can he do like some other aging quarterbacks have done and change his style...... with a 1 year  $7.5M contract under Billy B. I guess we'll see.......

Mike

@tiamat63 said:

I really don't think it's that easy.  Especially taking a typically sub 60% passer and placing him in an offense that was as complex and varied as NE's.  

You lose a great deal of potency exiling Brady and cutting down the playbook.  

I'm intrigued by the pairing of Newton and Belichick, because Cam couldn't be any more different from Brady if he tried. 

https://dawgpounddaily.com/2020/06/29/cleveland-browns-cam-newton/

@bob806 said:

If his shoulder is ok, they win the AFC East again. 

I really don't think it's that easy.  Especially taking a typically sub 60% passer and placing him in an offense that was as complex and varied as NE's.  

You lose a great deal of potency exiling Brady and cutting down the playbook.  

@icecube said:

Since Hoodie took over 20 years ago how many rebuilding years has NE had? Zero, I think. I thought they might lay in the weeds to get Lawrence, but now? Maybe not. This could take a playoff spot away that the Browns may need to make the postseason. 

Maybe the devil owed his hoodie buddy a big favor......Brady steps down in 2019......need a pandemic in 2020......step back in the race in 2021.

Never underestimate Belichick.    

@mjp28 said:

So how far do the pats fall this year?  Good time for a rebuilding year for them.

Since Hoodie took over 20 years ago how many rebuilding years has NE had? Zero, I think. I thought they might lay in the weeds to get Lawrence, but now? Maybe not. This could take a playoff spot away that the Browns may need to make the postseason. 

@mjp28 said:

So how far do the pats fall this year?  Good time for a rebuilding year for them.

interesting - maybe they waited til Tom Brady left...?

https://www.nj.com/giants/2020/06/nfl-hands-down-harsh-punishment-for-new-england-patriots-videoing-bengals-browns-last-december.html

@orion said:

Makes sense.  The QB needed a team.  The team needed a QB.

So how far do the pats fall this year?  Good time for a rebuilding year for them.