Cam Newton will not be suiting up for the Carolina Panthers in 2020. While the team is still trying to trade him after agreeing to terms with Teddy Bridgewater, the lastest reporting suggests Newton is going to be released very soon. There are still questions about Newton’s foot and throwing shoulder. However, those are mostly overblown. Newton has plenty of time to get 100% healthy by the time next season begins, so somebody is going to roll the dice on him. The only question is who.
Here are three teams who would benefit the most from adding Newton either by trade or signing him.
Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers are one of a handful of teams around the league that has no clear QB1 on the roster right now. Philip Rivers has agreed to a one-year deal with the Colts, which leaves Tyrod Taylor as the most likely candidate to start Week 1. While Taylor is a strong backup option, he’s not a true franchise quarterback who can carry a team to the playoffs, especially in a division as brutal as the AFC West is going to be. Moreover, everything Taylor can do Newton can do better.
Newton going to the Chargers makes a lot of sense. However, other scenarios are better for them. For example, Los Angeles is in line to pick at No. 6 in the 2020 NFL draft, which means they’re in prime position to land Oregon’s Justin Herbert, the third-best quarterback prospect in this class. Picking Herbert there would give the Chargers a much younger franchise QB to build around and cost far less than adding Newton. Herbert is still a bit raw, but Taylor is a solid bridge quarterback while he develops.
Washington Redskins
Connections matter in the NFL, just like any other business. Newton’s best contact in the league is likely his former coach, Ron Rivera. Last month, Rivera told the media he would never bet against Cam and it’s been reported that “all bets are off” for Washington if Newton becomes available.
The team’s top quarterback Alex Smith is still recovering from a broken leg and won’t be ready to return anytime soon. If they decide to stand pat, right now 2019 first-round pick Dwayne Haskins would be the starter. Haskins showed flashes down the stretch during the regular season, particularly in a win against Carolina. However, Newton still qualifies as a big upgrade over him. It may not be enough to win the NFC East, but Newton would give Rivera a far more competitive team in 2020.
On the other hand, this organization is also in excellent position to pick up one of this year’s top QB prospects. Washington is slated to pick at No. 2 overall, which would get them either Tua Tagovailoa or Joe Burrow in the unlikely event the Bengals pass on him.
New England Patriots
Tom Brady has been the man for New England for the last 20 years. That has now come to an end. This morning Brady’s signing with the Buccaneers became official. It’s a two-year deal that radically changes the landscape both in the AFC East and the NFC South.
Unlike Los Angeles and Washington, the Patriots have no quality backup like Taylor and no up-and-comer like Haskins. Right now, their projected QB1 is Jarrett Stidham, a fourth-round pick from last year who threw a grand total of four passes as a rookie. They are also not set up to draft a dynamic QB prospect. New England is slated to pick at No. 23 overall.
The Patriots don’t have much in the way of receiving weapons, but they do have the best defense in the AFC and a roster that’s built to win right now. More importantly, they have a head coach who has never been shy about his affinity for Newton’s skill-set. Bill Belichick once called Newton “public enemy No. 1.”
Putting these two together might not be enough to get them past the loaded Chiefs and Ravens, but it would certainly give the Patriots a better chance. It almost seems inevitable that Belichick will scoop up Newton at a low cost and run wild, though.
