For weeks, it seemed as if there was a tight quarterback battle happening between Cam Newton and rookie Mac Jones for the QB1 spot of the New England Patriots. However, Bill Belichick surprisingly opted to drop the former MVP a few days before the first game of their 2021 campaign.
With Newton's abrupt release, he has been left out in the cold without a team to play for at the start of the season. However, based on how a handful of squads performed in Week 1 of the season, it seemed as if some of them could use help from the three-time Pro Bowler in order to snag more wins moving forward.
Here are three teams that must sign Cam Newton after suffering tough losses in their opening games to start the season:
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans seemed to have secured their QB1 in Ryan Tannehill after he saw a resurgence a couple of years ago. However, the 33-year-old started the 2021 season on the wrong foot as he greatly struggled in their Week 1 game against the Arizona Cardinals.
Opposing outside linebacker Chandler Jones, in particular, was a problem for Tannehill as he ended the game with five total sacks against the quarterback. Going up against a stifling defensive unit certainly caused a ton of headaches for Tannehill as he merely settled for 212 passing yards on 21/35 passes completed to go with a touchdown and an interception.
With a stiff offensive attack, the Titans weren't able to keep up with the Cardinals as they absorbed a 38-13 loss in Nashville. Head coach Mike Vrabel can potentially consider signing Cam Newton to add more competition to the QB room and bring out the best in Tannehill in their bid to return to the playoffs once again this season.
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons had a shaky preseason as they saw backup QB A.J. McCarron suffer a season-ending torn ACL injury. Without him, the team was only left with QB1 Matt Ryan and third-string playmaker Feleipe Franks who isn't really a viable option for the team.
Unfortunately, even Ryan himself had a poor showing in their Week 1 slate against the Philadelphia Eagles where he was limited to 164 passing yards on 21/35 completion without a touchdown scored. The veteran's inability to produce in the pocket ultimately hindered the team from putting up points across the board all game long.
Certainly enough, being clobbered on a 32-6 beating on their home turf isn't a good look for any team in the league. With a shallow quarterback depth and an aging QB1, the Falcons can take a gamble on Cam Newton and give him a chance to prove his capabilities in helping the team for the rest of the 2021 season.
Washington Football Team
The Washington Football Team seems to be the most realistic destination for Newton, given his experience of playing under head coach Ron Rivera during their days with the Carolina Panthers. Coincidentally, the squad's QB1 in Ryan Fitzpatrick also suffered a hip injury during their Week 1 tilt against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Their backup quarterback in Taylor Heinicke was then slotted in and came out with a respectable outing as he notched 122 yards on 11-of-15 passes completed to go with a touchdown scored. However, his production wasn't enough as Washington eventually succumbed to Los Angeles on a 20-16 defeat.
As of the moment, Fitzpatrick is already expected to miss several games due to his injury and it remains to be seen if Heinicke can truly lead the team and power them to grab wins in the weeks to come. Rivera has nothing to lose if he decides to reunite with his former player in Cam Newton whom he had enjoyed success with back in 2015.
Ultimately, their decision to sign the former MVP can potentially pay dividends and lift the team back to the top of the NFC East once more by the end of the season.
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