Patriots Talk: Instant reaction to Cam Newton re-signing with Pats

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Cam Newton will get a second chance with the New England Patriots after all.

Friday morning, the Patriots re-signed the 31-year-old quarterback to a one-year contract worth close to $14 million. Newton will have a chance to redeem himself following a lackluster season as New England's signal-caller in 2020.

NFL Twitter explodes with passionate reaction to Newton returning to Patriots

The news may come as a disappointment to those who wanted the Patriots to move on from Newton and find their next quarterback. However, the signing won't preclude them from making another QB move this offseason. For now, as our Tom E. Curran put it, it's a "break glass in case of emergency" option for Bill Belichick.

So what should we make of Newton's return? Curran and Phil Perry shared their instant reactions to the news on a special episode of the Patriots Talk Podcast.

Patriots Talk Podcast - Cam Newton returning to the Patriots on a one-year deal | Listen & Subscribe | Watch on YouTube

"[The Patriots] needed somebody, and this is something that we have said that they need to come away with a quarterback at some point in March because you don't want to go into free agency with Jarrett Stidham as your only guy," Perry said. "I just thought with Cam Newton, Tom, your "break class in case of emergency" scenario would've been, say, after the Draft.

"And before free agency, you try to make a trade, maybe you just try to sign somebody during the legal tampering period so that you can tell free agents when free agency begins that we have a professional quarterback. I did not think it would be this early with Newton."

Curran: Newton at least provides Pats answer to 'Who's your QB?'

Curran believes while the timing of the move may be a surprise, it makes sense for both parties involved.

"A friend in need is a friend indeed, and these two friends needed each other. The Patriots, for the reason you stated, they wanted to be able to say to Corey Davis, Curtis Samuel, when they ask 'Who's your quarterback?' they go, 'Him. Cam.' Come on up here, he'll give you a funny nickname, he'll throw you the ball, maybe it'll get to you, maybe it won't but at least you'll be on TV a bunch. And, we're going to pay you plenty. It becomes a little bit more persuasive.

"But also, for Cam Newton, I wonder if he read the writing on the wall and said, 'You know what? I can't be auctioning my services after an eight-touchdown, 10-pick season. Why don't I just go back to this place that we got along great and there's unfinished business? That, to me, is what I'm reading on both sides."

Check out the latest episode of the Patriots Talk Podcast on the NBC Sports Boston Podcast Network, or watch on YouTube below:

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