Another potential solution to the Bears’ quarterback problem emerged Tuesday morning with Panthers star Cam Newton becoming available. Carolina announced it has given him and his agents permission to seek a trade.
Newton, 30, missed most of last season with a Lisfranc fracture in his foot, but before that was one of the most dangerous offensive players in the NFL. He is three-time Pro Bowler and won the MVP in 2015, when he led the Panthers to the Super Bowl.
He played 14 games in 2018 before exiting with a right shoulder injury that required surgery and finished with 24 touchdowns, 13 interceptions, 242.5 passing yards per game, a 67.9 completion percentage and a 94.2 passer rating.
Newton has one year, $21.1 million left on his contract, but carries a dead salary-cap hit of just $2 million if he is cut. That could open the door for the Bears to renegotiate a more team-friendly contract.
With minimal cap space and a depleted stock of draft picks, making a run at Newton should be an attractive option to Bears general manager Ryan Pace. The Bears made news Monday by looking into Teddy Bridgewater, Nick Foles and Andy Dalton, and Newton has a stronger résumé than any of them.
