Back to the New England Patriots Newsfeed

How Cam Newton Vs. Mac Jones Competition Is Helping Patriots’ Defense

FOXBORO, Mass. — The contrasting styles of the Patriots’ two starting quarterback hopefuls are helping New England’s defense prepare for the 2021 NFL season.

Veteran Devin McCourty explained Tuesday the benefits of facing both a rushing threat (Cam Newton) and a traditional pocket passer (Mac Jones) in training camp.

“It’s something that I think is great for the season, because it’s something that we see week in and week out,” McCourty said after the team’s first fully padded camp practice. “The game plan that we have for, like, a Lamar Jackson. If we see Baltimore, we’ll be a little different than if we play Tennessee and we’ve got (Ryan) Tannehill.