Cam Newton's reported agreement to sign with the New England Patriots has mostly been met with positive reviews.
A bunch of former and current players, including ex-Patriots Randy Moss and Deion Branch, as well as Newton's former teammates including Carolina Panthers linebacker Shaq Thompson, applauded the move. Many media members, from people who cover pro football daily to talk/debate show hosts, also have had plenty of good things to say about the signing.
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One of the few concerns being debated is Newton's ability to succeed for a head coach like Bill Belichick.
Everyone knows the Patriots coach runs a tight ship in Foxboro, where players rarely give the other team bulletin board material and often provide boring answers in press conferences. It's the classic team-above-all approach, typically called "The Patriot Way', and it's hard to argue with the results -- six Super Bowl titles in 20 years.
George Whitfield, a private quarterbacks coach who's worked a lot with Newton, did his best to dispel what he calls a "lazy narrative" about the veteran QB and Belichick.
"Suggesting that Cam can't adapt to Belichick is a lazy narrative," Whitfield told ESPN's Tim Keown. "Cam recognizes this as a singular opportunity. I can imagine Belichick telling him, 'You have goals, and you have a chip on your shoulder. We have goals, and our shoulders look the same as yours -- just not as big.'"
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Another common criticism of Newton is when forced to stand in the pocket and pass, he's far less effective. Whitfield shot down this narrative as well.
"I cringe every time I hear people ask, 'Can he do it from the pocket?'" Whitfield said, per Keown. "Cam's extremely bright. He's nuanced. There aren't going to be any coverages where he looks up and says, 'I've never seen this before.'
He can play in the pocket -- it's what he's been doing -- but he also has the world's biggest and baddest parachute on his back, and when he's in trouble, he can just reach out and pull it.
Newton's ability to escape the pocket and run for huge chunks of yards and touchdowns is a skill we have rarely seen in the Patriots offense over the last two decades. Brady did a great job moving around in the pocket and sliding to avoid pass rushers, but he was never a threat to take off and make huge plays with his legs.
It remains to be seen how well Newton will fit in the Patriots offense. We also don't know if he'll even win the starting quarterback job. He should receive strong competition for the role from 2019 fourth-round draft pick Jarrett Stidham.
Bet against Newton at your own peril, though.
There's no doubt he's super motivated to prove the naysayers wrong, and if healthy, he's still talented enough to help the Patriots be an AFC contender in 2020.