Cam Released

[patsfanfromoversea]

Here are some notes on what he said (copied from a Facebook page for Pats fans)

Said he was "absolutely" surprised by his release at the time it happened.

Says the Patriots will win a lot of games with Mac at QB. Says "He did do what he came to do. He proved that he can be productive, and he WILL be productive"

He believes he would have been released regardless of whether he was away from the team for 5 days because of Covid protocols or not. But he said that it helped "ease the decision"

He said he was NOT released because of this vaccination status, but he felt "bamboozled" by the NFL's Covid protocols because he was given permission to go see his doctor regarding a follow up on his Lisfranc (foot) recovery/rehab. He says if he knew he would have to sit out for multiple days, he never would have gone.

Matt Patricia and Bill Belichick were both in the room when Cam was told he was being released. Says he was confused and didn't understand what was happening. And that it was "uncomfortable for everyone"

He says he started to understand that Mac was winning the job because for every 2 reps he received, Mac received 10. He believes the Patriots "disguised" that they were planning to go with Mac by having Cam start every practice and preseason game.

He believes ultimately he was cut because he would have been a distraction because of his "aura".

When asked if he would have stayed on as the backup QB, he says he absolutely would have. But that it would have created an uncomfortable situation for Mac Jones.

When asked about Rob Ninkovich saying that Mac was teaching him the playbook, he said that both QB's were helping each other.

He also said he's never been in a system where the QB had to identify the middle linebacker and set the protection for the offensive line. Says he believes that is the responsibility of the center. (For Patriots fans who have watched Tom Brady for years, this is obviously not the case in the Patriots system)

He said he does not believe that Mac beat him out. Just that he would have been a distraction if he stayed on the roster.

The only distraction would be for the offense line

 

[Toofy]

Here are some notes on what he said (copied from a Facebook page for Pats fans)

Said he was "absolutely" surprised by his release at the time it happened.

Says the Patriots will win a lot of games with Mac at QB. Says "He did do what he came to do. He proved that he can be productive, and he WILL be productive"

He believes he would have been released regardless of whether he was away from the team for 5 days because of Covid protocols or not. But he said that it helped "ease the decision"

He said he was NOT released because of this vaccination status, but he felt "bamboozled" by the NFL's Covid protocols because he was given permission to go see his doctor regarding a follow up on his Lisfranc (foot) recovery/rehab. He says if he knew he would have to sit out for multiple days, he never would have gone.

Matt Patricia and Bill Belichick were both in the room when Cam was told he was being released. Says he was confused and didn't understand what was happening. And that it was "uncomfortable for everyone"

He says he started to understand that Mac was winning the job because for every 2 reps he received, Mac received 10. He believes the Patriots "disguised" that they were planning to go with Mac by having Cam start every practice and preseason game.

He believes ultimately he was cut because he would have been a distraction because of his "aura".

When asked if he would have stayed on as the backup QB, he says he absolutely would have. But that it would have created an uncomfortable situation for Mac Jones.

When asked about Rob Ninkovich saying that Mac was teaching him the playbook, he said that both QB's were helping each other.

He also said he's never been in a system where the QB had to identify the middle linebacker and set the protection for the offensive line. Says he believes that is the responsibility of the center. (For Patriots fans who have watched Tom Brady for years, this is obviously not the case in the Patriots system)

He said he does not believe that Mac beat him out. Just that he would have been a distraction if he stayed on the roster.

This is so nuanced and classy. If this is what he said I have even more respect for cam. I did not listen but the overall commentary was that of a grudging person while it does not appear that way .

 

[DropKickFlutie]

This is so nuanced and classy. If this is what he said I have even more respect for cam. I did not listen but the overall commentary was that of a grudging person while it does not appear that way .

Well media has been toxic so not surprised the headlines are not how he said it

 

[zydecochris]

Overall this was not too negative toward the Patriots. The only hint of "done wrong" there was saying that he believes the Patriots settled on Mac a while ago and "disguised" that decision by starting Cam in preseason games. In other words, they didn't really let him know where he stood, to the extent he would have liked, earlier.

But Cam didn't really burn bridges here.

Thanks for posting this. I thought this was a pretty big mistake for him to post this type of video with his Dad (and all the baggage he brought with the NCAA investigation, etc.) but I guess the actual words of the interview were fairly measured, contrary some media reactions.

I would have waited until way later for this type of interview (at least until he had exhausted all job options), but I'm of the wrong generation, maybe this is his way to stay socially relevant to the Youtube crowd. And, no, I'm not making fun of that, it has become a successful business model for lots of people.

 

[StockingAnarchyNumber12]

I just don't get why if this is true, they needed to go a sleazy route to get rid of Cam. He was clearly not good enough and that should have been enough?

 

[mike_usagisan]

I just don't get why if this is true, they needed to go a sleazy route to get rid of Cam. He was clearly not good enough and that should have been enough?

What sleazy route did they go? And please separate what the Patriots did from what the media has claimed without named sources. Those are not the same thing.

 

[bresna]

I just don't get why if this is true, they needed to go a sleazy route to get rid of Cam. He was clearly not good enough and that should have been enough?

Sleazy? $3.5 Million for a month and a half of practices + part of 3 preseason games? How is that sleazy? Cam was a very well paid insurance policy. If Mac didn't cut it, we had that backup. Mac did well - bye bye Cam. That's the way the cookie crumbles.

 

[Bill Lee]

I think Cam is going scorched earth on Friday.

Nothing too inflammatory in there.

Glad that's sorted.

Looks like the story here is that Pats blessed Cam's trip to leave NE for a medical appt but didn't tell him he would have to sit out 5 days upon his return, which they should have known.

If that's true, it makes me think someone was definitely trying to paint Cam in a poor light to justify his release. They leaked to media that people were livid inside the organization about his missing practice. Wow, that's pretty sleazy. WTF is going on in that building?

The way I heard the story he was tested when he was away and they thought that would be good enough to stay in the protocol, but it wasn't. There's no evidence I've seen that the Pats knew this before Cam's return.

 

[venecol]

Glad that's sorted.


The way I heard the story he was tested when he was away and they thought that would be good enough to stay in the protocol, but it wasn't. There's no evidence I've seen that the Pats knew this before Cam's return.

Maybe so, but then why leak to media that they were pissed about him missing practice? And since when are Patriots so incompetent to not know every single detail of every NFL rule, especially rules that they know can compromise a players attendance.

 

[Uptown]

 

[libra957]

Espn should hire him as an analyst, he seems to have a lot to say.

 

[Bill Lee]

Mac was going to start eventually. The question was more of a when? Cam was always a short term marriage.

Cam was insurance if Mac Jones wasn't ready to start right away and needed time. But once it became clear that the kid was ready to play, there was no use for the team to go with cam.

Also, the offense is very limited with cam to mask his weakness throwing the ball. Whereas with Mac Jones they can open the playbook more and play the style they want to play.

I don't think that's how the story should be told, and I'm a BB supporter. Bill signed up Cam weeks before Mac was drafted. I think he signed Cam so there was a name and a face for other FAs to connect with. BB didn't trade up, he waited for Mac to fall to him. He really hung his ass out. You can say it was skill or it was luck, but whatever it was, Mac wasn't locked in when Cam was signed and we were pretty damn close to another season of Cam at QB.

 

[Bill Lee]

Maybe so, but then why leak to media that they were pissed about him missing practice? And since when are Patriots so incompetent to not know every single detail of every NFL rule, especially rules that they know can compromise a players attendance.

Why build up reports from anonymous sources into a vast conspiracy?

Maybe because the construct fits the narrative that the Pats are evil?

That's the one that keeps the lights on at various Boston media outlets, far more edgy than just going with the fact that the Pats outfit is pretty good at what they do.

You do realize that media members can take a rumor and embellish it to further their own interests, and in some cases completely make stuff up, right?

Basically, what we have is at best, gossip. If you want to make it into something more than that, it's on you.

The funny thing is the reports gain traction because most of us do think it's possible a rookie could be teaching Cam the playbook, because a guy coming out of a Nick Saban system is gonna know a pretty complex offense, whereas what we saw from Cam over a year suggests he could not master our offense, even with all our coaches available to tutor him.