It remains to be seen if the New England Patriots will be receiving a fully healthy Cam Newton, but it’s clear they’ll be getting a highly determined version of the veteran quarterback.
It’s easy to understand why Newton, the 2015 NFL MVP, has a massive chip on his shoulder. Newton fell out of favor with the Carolina Panthers largely due to a pair of serious injuries and he was a relative afterthought in free agency this past offseason. The three-time Pro Bowl selection lingered on the open market for roughly three months before signing a one-year deal with New England worth the veteran minimum.
Newton’s motivated mindset has been on display through a series of Instagram posts, with the latest coming Tuesday. The 10th-year pro clearly is hell-bent on putting his haters in their place.
The Patriots might need Newton to return to his Pro Bowl form if they want to be a playoff team this season. With Dont’a Hightower, Patrick Chung and potentially additional players opting out of the upcoming campaign, New England’s 2020 defense might not be as strong as initially projected.