There’s been a lot of speculation about exactly what the Patriots will get out of veteran quarterback Cam Newton, given the plethora of injuries he’s suffered over the last few years, but if you ask him, he’s feeling great.
Newton was forced to settle for a one-year deal worth the league minimum, given that the quarterback market had really thinned, and there really didn’t appear to be any opportunities to come in and be named a team’s starter. Not only that, Newton has also joined an organization known for winning, and also for boosting the value of signal-callers, getting them paid elsewhere (See: Matt Cassel, Jimmy Garoppolo).
But Newton’s current form and health are red flags that cannot be overlooked, especially since the Patriots couldn’t work him out before signing him, having to instead communicate with him virtually. He didn’t play a single game last season, after suffering a foot injury back in August, which forced him to undergo surgery. This followed the shoulder surgery — the second of his career — that he had had before that.
Newton was recently asked about how he’s feeling, and in his mind, the answer is “amazing.”
“As far as how I feel right now, I feel amazing,” he said, Chris Mason of MassLive.com. “I feel great. Probably not any different from any other person who’s in that locker room right now. So I’m extremely optimistic about that. But through it all, it’s just putting yourself in the position to be in the best shape and have your body in the best possible situation when you actually need it.”
He’s saying all the right things, but we’ll just have to judge for ourselves when he hits the field in Week 1, likely starting under center for his new team.
