Tua Tagovailoa: Where the Miami Dolphins QB ranks in the AFC East

Many fans in New England are wondering how long it will take Bill Belichick to pull Newton in favor of Mac Jones.

It’s a decent question to ask, honestly. For the same reasons I have Wilson ranked 4th, I have Jones ranked 5th provided Newton starts but if Belichick puts Mac in early, we can drop Newton down to the bottom or off the list entirely. Unlike some in the mainstream media, I tend to rank players higher if they are starters.

Newton has become far more of a one-trick pony at this stage of a really good career. He is a runner now who can throw and when he is not running an option, he can’t work the pocket like he used to and his passes are often off target.

It was a bit surprising that the Patriots brought him back for a second season after Newton led them to only 7 wins last year. Looking at Newton’s stats the last two years, his fall from a former MVP and Super Bowl QB has dropped.

• 2019: 2 games, 50 completions, 89 attempts, 572 yards, 0 TDs, 1 interception,
• 2020: 15 games, 242 completions, 368 attempts, 2,657 yards, 8 touchdowns, 10 interceptions

Newton’s better stats with NE last year came on the ground.

• 2020: 137 attempts, 592 yards, 12 touchdowns

There was a time that Newton was one of the elite QBs in the NFL but that has faded and now, there is no guarantee that he will be the starter all season for the Patriots, maybe not even start.