Bill Belichick isn’t ruling out platoon for Patriots with Cam Newton, Mac Jones
The biggest offseason storyline for the New England Patriots has been the quarterback battle between Cam Newton and Mac Jones.
Through two preseason games, both quarterbacks made it much harder to distinguish who’s fit for the starting role. Newton was the starter last year and his experience in both the NFL and with the Patriots gives him a clear leg up in the race. But, the No. 15 overall pick proved why he’s pro-ready after becoming Pro Football Focus’ top performer against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Against the Eagles — Newton finished the game throwing 8 of 9 for 103 yards and a touchdown while Jones threw 13 of 19 for 146 yards. Because of the difficulty in choosing, Bill Belichick said he wouldn’t rule out the idea of platooning both quarterbacks this season.
“Those specific questions like that are really hard to answer,” Belichick said, transcribed by WEEI. “I mean, here’s what I will always say: I will always say I am going to do what is best for the team. I am going to do whatever I can to help the team win. So, if that’s playing a guard in the backfield, then we’ll play a guard in the backfield. If it’s putting 10 defensive backs on the field, if that’s what it is, maybe we’ll put 10 defensive backs on the field. I am not going to rule out anything. If I think something would help us win, I would consider it.
“The goal is not to have this happen, or have that happen, it’s to work through our system and ultimately do what we feel like is best for the team. And that’s at every position, every game, all the way across the board.”
That’s an interesting wrinkle in this quarterback battle, especially with the season opener right around the corner.
