Cam Newton Headlines New England's Quarterback Room

Cam Newton is now the leader of the quarterback room. (Photo: Patriots.com)

When Tom Brady signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency, last year's fourth-round draft pick Jarrett Stidham became the Patriots' top quarterback. But they seemed bound to sign a veteran who could at least compete for the starting job. The options were thin at that point, though, so they'd more likely select one in the first few rounds of the draft.

When they didn't draft a quarterback either, the nation took notice. Yet even so, it still seemed like they were bound to add an arm from outside the organization.

Alakazam, Here Comes Cam!

Alas, they signed a former superstar: Cam Newton. By all accounts, Bill Belichick made it clear that nothing would be handed to him – to that end, his contract was modest, especially for someone with his track record – but he's had a strong showing in camp and appears to have made his presence known.

Reports indicate that while Newton hasn't set camp on fire, he has stayed healthy and rapidly gained chemistry with his receivers and the organization.

Will Newton be the starter from Week 1 on? That remained to be seen until Thursday. There was a time when Belichick floated – or at least didn't discard – the idea of a two-quarterback rotation. However, he has since not only named Newton the starter, but also doubled down by announcing him as one of eight team captains.

So what does that mean for the guys behind him?

Stidham the Stud?

Stidham hasn't exactly grabbed the bull by the horns. While he clearly flashes a starting-caliber arm talent, consistency has been lacking. What's more, he also missed a bit of time due to injury – one that he may have even been practicing through at some point.

There's no way Stidham doesn't make the team; but he hasn't taken the strides that Belichick, coordinator Josh McDaniels, and new quarterbacks coach Jedd Fisch certainly must've had in mind. It's not a given that they're comfortable with him as the No. 2 quarterback, especially if it's behind a starter with Newton's injury history.

Don't Forget the Old Vet

The passer who's had the best showing in camp may in fact be Brian Hoyer. First-team reps have been split fairly evenly; and Hoyer's completion percentage, touchdown, and interception totals have generally been the best of the bunch.

Still, it's not a secret that the soon-to-be 35-year-old journeyman has less upside than Newton or Stidham and would be better served as a backup. That's fine; his experience in New England's offense makes him a nearly-indispensable quarterback whisperer and traditional "clipboard holder".

Putting in the Werk

Brian Lewerke – an undrafted free agent from Michigan State – is hanging around as a camp body, but the only way he makes the regular season roster is if something catastrophic happens. As it stands, he likely won't even get to New England's practice squad unless Belichick decides to only carry two quarterbacks once the season starts.

Still, he's in a solid environment in terms of getting his feet wet. Belichick isn't too dissimilar from Lewerke's college coach (Mark Dantonio), and he his a fellow MSU alum (Hoyer) to lean on.

The Likely Outcome

Newton will be the starter, and Lewerke is very unlikely to stick around; neither of these should be groundbreaking proclamations at this point. After that, the conversation gets interesting.

At least to start the season, I'd lean towards expecting Hoyer to be the game-day backup and Stidham to be the No. 3 body, but not dress on Sundays. That's subject to change as time goes by, but Hoyer has been more dependable at practices, and his experience alone should make it easier to plug him into the offense at a moment's notice. If Newton were to miss a game, Stidham might get the nod that week, but at least in that scenario he would be given time to prepare.

The only catch: Stidham has a more favorable case if the offense evolves to match Newton's specific skills – downfield throws, designed QB runs, and run/pass option plays. The extent to which these are used will likely decide who – Hoyer or Stidham – will be Newton's primary backup, and how often these plays show up will likely depend on how much influence McDaniels allows Fisch – a quarterback guru, most recently with the Los Angeles Rams – to have in game-calling.