Favorite Named For The Patriots’ Week 1 Starting QB

The New England Patriots took a quarterback in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, but don’t expect Mac Jones to be starting under center come Week 1.

Immediately following the first round, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick made it clear that Cam Newton is the team’s starting quarterback.

There will be competition, of course, but Newton is the odds-on favorite to start at quarterback when the 2021 season begins.

“Mac was available at our pick, and he was a guy we spent a lot of time with. Felt like that was the best pick at that time for us,” Belichick said. “Look forward to working with him. He’s a smart kid. He’s been in a system that’s similar to ours. We’ve had a lot of good conversations with him. I think he’ll be able to process the offense. It’s obviously going to take a lot of time. See how it goes.

“Cam’s our quarterback. Whatever time Jarrett (Stidham) or Mac are ready to challenge and compete, we’ll see how that goes. But right now for Mac, he’s just got a lot of learning in front of him. I know he’s very anxious to get going and get started on it.”

The betting odds suggest a clear favorite, too.

From Draft Kings:

Draft Kings experts believe Newton is the best bet, too.

“Newton might not be able to hold Jones off for the whole season, but he likely gives the Patriots a better shot at winning early in the year. Jones will have a fairly steep learning curve, much like every rookie and free agent to ever land in Foxboboro, Massachusetts,” they wrote.

Newton struggled at times in 2020, though the Patriots felt good enough to bring him back for another season. It would be surprising to see anyone but Newton under center when the 2021 season begins.

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