Report: Patriots not interested in acquiring Newton, Dalton

It looks like the New England Patriots are moving forward with their current options at quarterback following the departure of Tom Brady.

Despite recent speculation, the Patriots have expressed no interest in signing Cam Newton or trading for Andy Dalton, a source told Jeff Howe of The Athletic.

The Patriots signed veteran quarterback Brian Hoyer in free agency after losing Brady.

Cody Kessler was released Wednesday, leaving second-year QB Jarrett Stidham as the only other quarterback on the roster.

Barring unforeseen circumstances, Stidham appears to have the inside track on the starting job, Howe adds.

Newton, 30, was making around $20 million annually after he signed a five-year, $103.8-million extension with Carolina in 2015. The Panthers released the former MVP earlier this offseason after nine campaigns.

Dalton, meanwhile, is still under contract with the Bengals, but Cincinnati is reportedly helping the veteran signal-caller work out a trade. The 32-year-old is signed through 2020 and is set to make $17.7 million in 2020.

New England currently ranks 31st in the league with less than $709,000 in salary-cap space, according to Over The Cap.