Patriots Rumors: Cam Newton, Andy Dalton Not Drawing Interest from New England

The New England Patriots will not pursue former Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton in free agency or Cincinnati Bengals signal-caller Andy Dalton via trade, per Jeff Howe of The Athletic.

The Pats will have a new starter at quarterback after 20-year veteran and six-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady left for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency.

The Panthers released Newton in mid-March after nine seasons. Dalton is expected to be available with the Bengals all but certain to take LSU's Joe Burrow with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 draft.

However, the Pats will reportedly look in a different direction. According to Howe, the answer may already be on the roster in Jarrett Stidham, whom the Pats took in the fourth round of the 2019 draft.

Howe explained Stidham's current positioning for the starter gig.

"Barring unforeseen circumstances, Stidham appears to have the inside track on the starting job, which we explained following the Brian Hoyer signing. The Patriots like Stidham, but they also recognize that everyone is an unknown commodity until they step under center for the first time in live action.

"... So it'll be Stidham. It'd hardly be a surprise if they open camp with Hoyer as the starter and force Stidham to wrest away the job, but a dose of adversity should help the kid if that's the route they choose. Either way, as long as Stidham maintains his pace from last summer, it should be his job."

The Pats could always pursue other free agents (e.g. former Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston) or select a quarterback during the 2020 draft. However, they'd likely have to trade up from No. 23 to land any of LSU's Joe Burrow, Oregon's Justin Herbert, Utah State's Jordan Love or Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa.

With that in mind, Howe predicts the depth chart to be Stidham, veteran Brian Hoyer and a to-be-determined rookie following the release of Cody Kessler on Wednesday.

Stidham, who played collegiately for Auburn, will turn 24 in August. He saw limited action in Week 3 against the New York Jets, completing 2-of-3 passes for 14 yards. The incompletion was a pick-six in a blowout game that prompted head coach Bill Belichick to bring Brady back in.

However, Stidham showed promise in the 2019 preseason with a 67.8 percent completion rate, four touchdowns and only one interception. He also rushed for 88 yards.

The former Tiger threw 36 touchdowns and 11 picks in two years as Auburn's starter following a transfer from Baylor.