Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
Cam Newton worked out with New England Patriots teammate Mohamed Sanu.
Cam Newton is already putting in the work with his new New England Patriots teammates.
Newton signed a one-year deal with New England late Sunday evening after months waiting for the right opportunity in free agency. The Patriots had their eye on him from the jump, but having to see if the medicals check out in the midst of a global pandemic certainly was a challenge. In his first week as a Patriot, he has already been spotted working out with teammate Mohamed Sanu.
Newton and Sanu have a strong familiarity with each other from their time in the NFC South. While Newton spent the first nine years of his NFL career out of Auburn with the Carolina Panthers, Sanu caught passes for 3.5 years for Newton’s former rival team in the Atlanta Falcons. Sanu may only be the No. 3 receiver on the team, but he’s one of the better No. 3’s in the league.
From the looks of this quick seven-second video, it appears that Newton and Sanu are in tremendous shape. We know how seriously Newton took his rehab to come back from a Lisfranc injury that cost him the final four games of his Carolina career. It’s always been an uphill battle for Sanu in his NFL career, but his work ethic is a reason he’s had great staying power in the league.
Cam Newton working out with Mohamed Sanu has to excite Patriots fans.
It may only be just a workout, but this is the type of stuff you’d love to see if you root for New England. Sanu was traded to the Patriots mid-season by the Falcons for a second-round pick which they traded to the Baltimore Ravens for tight end Hayden Hurst to replace free-agent Pro Bowler Austin Hooper.
Are you lost? Sanu is a cerebral player, but had his issues in New England last yer getting adjusted to Josh McDaniels’ scheme. Frankly, most players struggle on the offensive side of the ball in New England for similar reasons. 2019 first-round pick N’Keal Harry didn’t exactly move the needle in his first year out of Arizona State. Sanu’s improvement will be key in the New England offense.
The best part is it will be with a new quarterback in Newton, who has to learn the entire playbook himself. Sure, Brian Hoyer and Jarrett Stidham may have a better knowledge of it, but we’re not talking about a 20 years’ worth of encyclopedic knowledge of one Tom Brady at the quarterback position. It’s all about getting on the same page and it looks like Newton and Sanu are doing that.
If Newton and Sanu develop a strong rapport, that’s good for the Patriots and bad for the AFC.