The New England Patriots have signed former MVP quarterback Cam Newton. Newton has had an up and down career so far with a super bowl appearance and MVP season being followed by injuries and losing seasons. While nobody but Newton knows if he can return to his top form, it is something many are looking forward to seeing in 2020. The Buffalo Bills are a team most directly impacted by Newton’s arrival in New England. Buffalo is primed to take over the AFC East, but Cam Newton’s signing may be enough to keep the Patriots on top. With the AFC East up for grabs in 2020, here are two positives and negatives of Cam Newton’s signing for the Buffalo Bills.
Positives and Negatives of Newton’s Signing for Buffalo
Negatives
1. The AFC East Becomes More Difficult
The Buffalo Bills looked to be entering the 2020 NFL season as clear favorites to win the AFC East. The Patriots return an impressive defense but posses a bottom-tier offensive unit. The Patriots have been a competitive team within the AFC for nearly two decades. Therefore, it is hard to imagine they will fold back to mediocrity so quickly. The addition of a former MVP such as Newton will ensure that New England remains competitive in some way. Even if they are not at the top tier of the AFC, they should be able to compete for another AFC East title with the combination of Newton and their defense.
2. Decreased Chances of Winning The Division
With the difficulty of the division raised by Newton’s arrival, the chances of the Bills winning it are diminished. Buffalo doesn’t have an incredibly easy schedule compared to last season so it was nice to have a weakened division to lighten the schedule. Now, both New England games are far from a guarantee. While Buffalo has built an impressive team, specifically on defense, they will need to prove they are as good as they seem this season.
Positives
1. Patriots Must Learn New Offense
The Patriots have been used to an offense that features short passing and lots of running the football. This came almost exclusively from running backs. Now, the Patriots have a mobile quarterback that will need to use his legs to perform at his best. The Patriots’ offense doesn’t seem equipped to quickly transition to this style of offense with veteran wide receivers such as Julian Edelman and Mohamed Sanu. The Patriots may need time to adapt to their new quarterback. It will be interesting to see how much time they will need. The Bills’ first meeting with the Patriots will be in week eight.
2. Newton is not a Guarantee for New England
The Patriots are hoping that they will be able to return Newton to his former MVP glory. However, they may end up stuck with the version of Cam that went 0-8 in his last eight games for the Carolina Panthers. Newton seemed lost and broken down in his final games. We will need to see if time off is what Newton needed. If it is, the Patriots may have hit a home run, but if he remains less than desired, they may be in for a long season. There is a huge gap between Newton’s best and his worst. Only the arrival of the upcoming season will show which side the 2020 Cam Newton falls on.
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