Newton earns starting QB job for Patriots
In the two- plus months since signing with New England, Cam Newton has impressed his fellow Patriots and coach Bill Belichick.
Belichick named Newton the team’s starting quarterback on Thursday, according to reports. The Patriots also announced Thursday that the former Carolina Panthers star was voted by his teammates to be one their captains.
Newton, the 2015 NFL Most Valuable Player, encountered little obvious interest from other teams as a free agent after the Panthers released him in March. The shoulder and foot injuries he suffered over the past two seasons, which caused him to miss a total of 16 games, were likely a major factor, but presumptions about his personality may also have been a concern, although the Patriots’ Matthew Slater said he “has been a joy to be around.”
“He brings positive energy to work every day. He loves his job. He’s just a fun guy to be around,” Slater, a longtime captain of New England’s special- teams units, told the Boston Herald. “I’m glad that we’ve gotten a chance to spend some time with him as a teammate and really get to know him.”
Buccaneers
Tampa Bay continued to add to the list of prominent players surrounding quarterback Tom Brady on offense by reaching a deal with running back Leonard Fournette, who found a new NFL home quickly after being released this week by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Fournette confirmed the agreement with the Buccaneers on Twitter. The one- year contract reportedly is worth as much as $ 3.5 million, including incentives.
Dolphins
Josh Rosen’s stay in South Florida could be coming to a close this weekend if Miami gets a favorable trade offer. According to ESPN, the Dolphins are fielding offers for the former UCLA standout. Miami traded a second- and fifth- round pick to the Arizona Cardinals for Rosen during the 2019 offseason.
An indicator that a move might be made was the fact Jake Rudock, who spent last season as Miami’s practicesquad quarterback, was getting tested for COVID- 19, a precursor to signing with the team this season. The Dolphins likely won’t get much for Rosen, who has thrown for 2,845 yards with 12 touchdowns and 19 interceptions while completing 54.8% of his passes the previous two seasons.
Browns
Cleveland was compelled to do something at safety after losing Grant Delpit for the 2020 season, so general manager Andrew Berry sent a 2021 fifth- round draft pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for safety Ronnie Harrison. Delpit suffered a season- ending ruptured Achilles tendon Aug. 24 during practice.