The New England Patriots have a decision to make about who their starting quarterback will be in 2021. For one man who previously held that role, the choice is an easy one, though: Drew Bledsoe believes that incumbent Cam Newton should keep the job this season.
Appearing on the Zach Gelb Show, Bledsoe spoke about the current quarterback situation in New England. Newton, who started for the team in 2020, is being challenged by first-round rookie Mac Jones.
For as impressive as Jones has looked this summer, Bledsoe believes the veteran should be under center in Week 1 against the Miami Dolphins.
“I think they’ve got to let Cam go a little bit, and I would personally really like to see Cam get a full year,” he said. “Last year, the cupboard was kind of empty up there, and I think everybody recognizes that now. There wasn’t a lot, in terms of weapons for him. They went and got some weapons, and I think it’d be great to see Cam get to get back out there and show why he was an NFL MVP.”
The Patriots invested considerable resources to rebuild their offense this year. They signed tight ends Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry, as well as wide receivers Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne in free agency. They later also drafted Jones 15th overall, though, to become their next franchise quarterback.
Jones will take over as the starter at one point but Bledsoe thinks that this transition should take place later rather than sooner.
“It’d also be pretty good for Mac to watch it for a year and then be ready to rock going forward,” he noted. “But I’d love to see Cam get a chance to get out there and get after it and show what he can really do.”
Bledsoe was the Patriots’ starting quarterback between 1993 and the early 2001 season, when he was famously knocked out of a Week 2 contest to pave the way for Tom Brady to take over. Brady would obviously lead the team to its first Super Bowl win later that same season, never looking back.
Bledsoe was traded to Buffalo the following offseason, but he is still a popular man in New England. A member of the Patriots Hall of Fame, Bledsoe started 129 games for the organization.