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New England Patriots quarterback Cam Newton out due to Covid protocols

275133747_4796292347117549_592518599057046758_nby:Jonathan Wagner•08/23/21•

Jonathan Wagner

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Maddie Malhotra via Getty Images.

The New England Patriots will be without expected starting quarterback Cam Newton until Thursday due to COVID protocols. The Athletic’s Jeff Howe reported on Monday that Newton will be sidelined Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday before he can re-join the Patriots.

Patriots say Newton’s absence due to misunderstanding of NFL protocols

In a statement, the Patriots said that Newton traveled to a medical appointment which will require him to stay away from team facilities for five days.

“On Saturday, Cam Newton traveled to a Club-approved medical appointment that required him to leave the New England area,” the statement said. “He received daily Covid tests, which were all negative. Due to a misunderstanding about tests conducted away from NFL facilities, and as required by the NFL-NFLPA protocols, Cam will be subject to the five-day entry cadence process before returning to the facility. Cam will continue participating virtually in team activities and return to the club facility on Thursday, August 26.”

The Patriots begin joint practices with the New York Giants on Wednesday. Newton will not be on the field when those sessions begin.

Newton’s absence opens a big door for Mac Jones

Despite Alabama drafting Mac Jones out of Alabama with the 15th overall pick in the offseason, Newton is expected to start in New England. With Newton now sidelined for the week, Jones is in line for first-team reps, which could help him gain some traction in his quest for playing time as a rookie.

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Some reporters have already begun speculation about what this news means for the Patriots’ quarterback room in the immediate future. If Jones impresses with first-team reps, he could make it hard for the team to keep him off the field.

“This opens a window for Mac Jones to get a bunch of first-team reps. In practice today and tomorrow, and in a joint practice with the Giants on Wednesday,” NFL reporter Albert Breer tweeted. “We’ll see what happens in Thursday’s work with the Giants and the game Saturday. But rookies sometimes win jobs this way.”

When Jones first took the field in New England, he was greeted by a standing ovation from the crowd. Last season at Alabama, Jones threw for 4,500 yards, 41 touchdowns and four interceptions. He also set the NCAA record while completing 77.4 percent of his passes.