Dan Orlovsky would not be surprised if we see a shake-up to the Patriots’ quarterback depth chart in the near future.
New England’s starting signal-caller job is Cam Newton’s to lose. Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels over the weekend hailed Newton as the current starter, and head coach Bill Belichick earlier this week made it clear Newton would need to be outperformed in order to lose the gig.
But the 2015 NFL MVP took a potential step back in the competition this week when he was briefly sidelined due to a COVID-19 protocol “misunderstanding.” This created a golden opportunity for Mac Jones, who Orlovsky believes could leapfrog Newton within the next week.
“I believed that Cam was going to be their starter even though I believed Mac should,” Orlovsky told reporters over Zoom on Wednesday, per MassLive. “But just hearing what’s happened today. I feel like this could be Mac Jones’ job to give away over the next five or six days.”
The Patriots, of course, feature one of the most complex offensive systems in all of football. But Orlovsky believes the 2021 first-round pick would be able to handle it.
“For New England, I don’t think they have to pare down the game plan much at all,” Orlovsky told the media. “I’m looking at an offense that’s going to ask their quarterback for the least amount out of any team in the NFL. I think they’re going to turn back the hands of time a little bit. This is a team that is going to run the football right at people because their offensive line is going to be so good.
“This is going to be about a guy who can get to the line of scrimmage and get in and out of the right run checks: ‘We’re going to run at this defensive tackle or away from that safety.’ He’ll be able to handle that stuff. Then it’s really going to be about how great he can be: One, on play-action passing and two, on third down with his protection management and his ball-placement in man-to-man coverage. I don’t believe you have to pare down that game plan for a guy you’re going to ask to do that.”
Newton is slated to rejoin the team Thursday when the Patriots and the Giants meet for the second of two joint practices. From there, the veteran and the rookie will take the field for the final preseason game Sunday before Belichick and Co. have to make a critical decision.
