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Cam Newton is re-signing with New England on a one-year deal, as initially reported by Jim McBride of the Boston Globe.

The 31-year-old started 15 games, completing 65.8 percent of his passes for 2,657 yards, with eight TDs and 10 INTs. His passer rating of 82.9 placed him 22th overall among qualifying QBs, per NFL Research. Newton also added 592 rushing yards and 12 TDs on the ground.

Cam missed one game after testing positive for COVID-19 early in the season. The QB said this offseason that missing that time put him behind and partially led to his struggles later in the 2020 season.

Newton was last in passing YPG (177.1) and TD-INT ratio among 26 QBs with 10-plus starts in 2020. But Newton was one of the league's most effective runners at quarterback, account for 592 yards on the ground and 12 rushing touchdowns. He also caught a pair of passes for 35 yards with a TD.

As a result, Newton accounted for 13 of the Patriots' 32 scrimmage TDs in 2020 (40.6 percent), the highest percentage by any player in the NFL -- next-closest QB was Arizona's Kyler Murray with 22.4 percent.

A reunion shouldn't come as a surprise. As NFL Network's Mike Giardi noted earlier this month, head coach Bill Belichick has spoken encouragingly about Newton, and the QB has suggested he'd like to remain in New England.

Asked last month on the "I Am Athlete" podcast if he would welcome a return to the Patriots, the former NFL MVP was emphatic.

"Yes. Hell yes! I'm getting tired of changing [teams]," Newton said.

Now Newton won't have to change teams for at least one more season.

Having a full offseason under offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels should help Newton progress in Year 2 in New England. Re-signing the veteran is at least a tacit signal that the Pats believed the surrounding situation had more to do with the offense's struggles than Newton's play deteriorating.

Newton joins Jarrett Stidham and Jake Dolegala as New England quarterbacks under contract.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, signing Newton will not stop the Patriots from making another move at QB this offseason.