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Breaking news outside Foxborough, Massachusetts, on Tuesday morning shocked the NFL world as the New England Patriots released former NFL MVP quarterback Cam Newton.
It seems the Patriots have pushed all their chips in on rookie quarterback Mac Jones, who was drafted in the first round out of Alabama. The team has said all summer that Jones would have to be spectacular to take the starting job from Newton. Now, on the day that NFL rosters are being finalized, Newton, who signed a one-year deal to return to the Patriots this season, is out.
But with teams all around the NFL in need of quarterback depth, Newton is unlikely to stay a free agent for long.
3 NFL teams that should target QB Cam Newton
#1 - Houston Texans
Taking Deshaun Watson out of the picture, the Houston Texans may be ready to commit to Tyrod Taylor as the starting quarterback in Week 1. The Texans drafted Stanford quarterback Davis Mills, who might not be ready yet, and also signed Jeff Driskel.
The Texans could use more experience with their quarterback depth and Cam Newton could even become the starting quarterback in Houston.
#2 - Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons have Matt Ryan as their starter, and there's no doubt about that, but their QB depth is questionable. Backup A.J. McCarron is out for the 2021 season after suffering a knee injury. The Falcons then signed journeyman backup quarterback Josh Rosen, who hasn't had much success in the NFL. Behind Rosen is undrafted rookie Feleipe Franks.
Signing Newton would be a good move for the Falcons if he's content being a backup, though that's a big if. Newton played in the AFC South for nine seasons and was born and raised in Atlanta, so it would be a good fit for the 32-year-old at this point in his career.
#3 - New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are headed into their first season post-Drew Brees. The Saints did name Jameis Winston as their starting quarterback last week. The team also has Taysom Hill, who's a Swiss-army-knife offensive player who can play anywhere on offense and special teams.
Winston was the starting quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for five seasons before being released. While Winston threw for 121 touchdowns with the Bucs, he also threw 88 interceptions. That uncertainty could lead the Saints to look for a more reliable, mobile option at quarterback, like Cam Newton.
