The Patriots supporting cast fell five points due to Newton.

In 2019 Tom Brady was the 17th ranked quarterback in the NFL and his supporting cast matched that. Brady Boasted a 55.7 QBR. In 2020 the Patriots lost Sanu, Ben Watcson, Matt Lacosse, Philip Dorsett, and Tom Brady. The supporting cast dropped to 22nd but why?

The Patriots brought in a running quarterback in Cam Newton. Newton's passing stats were bad enough that he was he wasn't good enough to be in the top 32 but his rushing stats brought him up to the 27th ranked quarterback, with a QBR of 47. PFF gave Newton a grade of 70.9.

People are arguing that if Cam Newton had better weapons that he would do better. They use Tom Brady as an example. Brady's QBR in 2020 jumped to 72.5. Brady's supporting cast was ranked 6th in 2020, which is the same ranking they had in 2019. According to pro football reference, Brady jumped to the second ranked quarterbacks in the NFL.

It is safe to assume that Cam Newton's stats would be better if he went from the Patriots to The Buccaneers. However, Stidham, Hoyer, even Nathan Peterman would look better with that kind of talent. In fact that's the knock on draft prospect Mac Jones. People wanna know if it's him or all the first round talent around him.

Now with that being said the Patriots supporting cast would be better with a better passer. Brady was slipping a little bit in accuracy in 2019 but the Patriots supporting cast was ranked 17th. DeSean Watson, Big Ben, Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, Kirk Cousins, and Baker Mayfield, would've gotten more production out of the Patriots supporting cast in 2020 because they're better passers.

Saying Cam Newton would've been better if he had better weapons is like Mark Sanchez saying he would've been better if he had Randy Moss, Jim Harbaugh would've been better if he had Jerry Rice, or Jamarcus Russell would've been better if he had Megatron. 

The fact of the matter is the Patriots pass catchers dropped in production with a lesser passer, and it was clear on tape that enough of their lack of production was from Newton's inability to pass the football, and his admission that he couldn't remember what plays he was calling. Leading to the speculation that the Patriots offense was too complicated for him.

Newton is a quarterback who's pass catchers have to run Streak, Deep Post, Deep Corners, Deep Wheel Routes, and Deep Curls. That's it. His pass catchers routes must be limited in the playbook and they must all be limited to within the numbers. Newton needs a simple non pro level, college or high school offense.

That doesn't change the fact that if you put almost any quarterback on the Patriots and then put them on the Buccaneers with both teams 2020 supporting cast that they wouldn't do better but it also doesn't change the fact that the Patriots supporting cast would've done better with any passer ranked above Cam Newton. 

It's a nice narrative if you're to trying to save Newton's career for those still stuck on the 2015 Cam Newton bandwagon but when looking at the bigger picture, it's clear for anyone to see that it's just a half truth, and that the other half is that Newton lowered the production of the supporting cast. Thus If he went to Tampa, there's a good chance that the Buccaneers supporting cast would've dropped in ranking under Newton.