The line, "So, you're telling me there's a chance?" is beginning to take on an entirely new meaning in New England.
Since the end of the regular season, media and Patriots fans seemingly have been in agreement: Bill Belichick will add a new quarterback this offseason. And, given Cam Newton's struggles in 2020, that's been an easy bandwagon to hop on.
But, in recent days, there has been increased speculation about the Patriots potentially bringing back Newton for the 2021 season. NFL Media's Mike Giardi, one of the more tied-in reporters covering the Patriots, on Tuesday prescribed a shockingly high percentage for the chances of Newton reuniting with the Patriots.
Here's what he said during an appearance on WEEI's "Dale & Keefe" show:
“Thirty-five, 40 percent. I understand, I don’t have much of an appetite for it. I think there is a fair amount of the fanbase that doesn’t have much of an appetite for it. But, in talking to a lot of people in and around the building, there was the sense, and I think (you could say), he barely got any time to get any run up in this offense. Signing in June and trying to speak a language that had been written for over 20 years with Charlie Weis and Josh McDaniels and Bill O’Brien and back to Josh, of course Tom Brady being one of the authors of that as well. Trying to learn that and learn it on the fly, and obviously in as odd of a season as we’ve ever had, was very difficult to do.
"Yet, at the end of it, 7-9. It obviously wasn’t good enough, but 7-9 and ‘Boy, we realized we needed more weapons, so if we add more pieces in the passing game and Cam has a full offseason, are we 9-7? Are we 10-6? Can we make a jump?' I think that’s something they are having to consider there in Foxborough.”
Obviously, a Newton reunion and addition of a rookie QB are not mutually exclusive ideas for the Patriots. They could draft a potential quarterback of the future and also re-sign Newton to a short-term deal, for example.
In any event, Patriots fans at least should begin preparing themselves for the possibility of Newton being back under center in New England next season.
For what it's worth, the notion of a Newton reunion has some support inside the Patriots locker room.
