Return not ruled out The Patriots haven't ruled out re-signing Newton, according to Jeff Howe of The Athletic. The QB -- who earned $3,956,250 in 2020, including incentives -- is slated to become a fre... Impact For his part, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com says that his gut feeling is that there's about a 25 percent chance Newton will be retained. Following a 2020 campaign in which Newton did plenty of damage as a rusher but struggled to produce consistently as a passer, it remains to be seen what sort of offers he'll command in free agency. While Howe suggests that it's thought that the Patriots will "initially seek other alternatives," it's possible they'll entertain the idea of bringing back Newton if they believe that a healthier version of the former NFL MVP "can be better with more help around him." New England has the 15th overall pick in this April's draft, and if the team elects to choose a quarterback with that selection or one later on in the process, then considering a veteran bridge option such as Newton (under reasonable financial parameters) could make sense for the franchise.
JANUARY 8, 2021 • ROTOWIRE