5 Patriots who Cam Newton will help the most

3. Mohamed Sanu

Sanu never really found his footing with the Patriots last season after being acquired in a mid-season trade with the Falcons. Newton’s arrival in Foxborough should give the veteran wide receiver a new lease on life in New England.

Specifically, Sanu’s ability to turn short throws into long gains should be a huge help for the Patriots’ offense. They are going to do everything they can to keep Newton from taking unnecessary hits. Getting the ball out of his hands quickly to dynamic receivers should be a heavy focus of the playbook.

That gives Sanu a strong chance to flirt with his career-high mark of 67 receptions in 2020. He’s not going to flirt with triple-digits due to Julian Edelman’s presence in the wide receiver room, but he could be in like for a solid increase in target share.

The key for Sanu will be to gain Newton’s trust early. If he does that, he could emerge as an important safety blanket for the veteran, but brittle quarterback. Don’t be surprised if Sanu finds a way to become an important cog in the Patriots’ attack.