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Wide receiver Brandon LaFell was one of several 2013 Panthers wide receivers to find new teams over the last week and he explained why he wound up with the Patriots on a Wednesday conference call.

It should come as no surprise that a guy who catches passes for a living was focused on the guy throwing them when he decided to cast his lot with New England. Cam Newton may be on the rise, but LaFell wanted to play with a guy who has already built a resume that will land him in Canton.

“Because I had a chance to play with a Hall of Fame quarterback. One day Cam will be there probably but he’s not there now,” LaFell said, via Tom Curran of CSN New England.

It’s hard to construe that as much of a knock on Newton since Tom Brady’s been doing it for a lot longer and it’s pretty clear that he’s the only member of that pair that would be heading to the Hall of Fame if both careers ended today. Give Newton another decade or so playing quarterback and things might look very different, but LaFell isn’t making his decision at that point.

LaFell said he first thought about playing with Brady when the Panthers were watching film of the Patriots before their 2013 regular season matchup and the receiver noticed that all Patriots pass catchers had to do was put their hands up for a pass right on target from Brady. LaFell will get a chance to experience it for himself this season.