Bill Belichick and the Patriots have been lauded for their highly active offseason and deservedly so.
But not every move New England has recently made has garnered praise.
Prior to their spending spree that kicked off as the NFL's legal tampering period opened, the Patriots re-signed quarterback Cam Newton. This decision was questioned by many, as Newton largely struggled over the course of his first season in New England. Plenty of fans and media members alike still believe the Patriots should be active in the quarterback market this spring, whether it be through the draft or trade.
Newton evidently is hearing all of this chatter, as he addressed his doubters in an Instagram video shared Thursday night.
"I've been hearing it. I've been hearing it, all right? And now, I'm letting you know that I'm retaliating," Newton said. "Not at you -- because of you. ... I've been hearing a lot of reports that's going around that's stating the obvious about, 'Oh, the Patriots are getting this. Oh, the Patriots are getting that. Now, the main question is, what is Cam gonna do? Haha, that's funny. I would not have wanted it any other way. I'm used to this feeling. I'm not new to this feeling."
Should it be Newton who earns New England's starting quarterback job out of training camp, he certainly will be set up to succeed more so in 2021 than he was last year. Newton now has two of the league's best tight ends -- Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry -- as well as pair of new wideouts in Nelson Algholor and Kendrick Bourne. Not to mention, the Patriots' offensive line has a chance to be one of the best units in all of football next season.
But of course, touchdowns aren't scored and games aren't won on paper. Newton can continue to share hype videos, but it will be all for naught if he doesn't perform on the field.
