It won’t come until after the season, but let’s face reality now. Cam Newton’s time with the Carolina Panthers is almost certainly over.
It’s all about health and wealth. The Panthers placed Newton on injured reserve Tuesday because of a foot injury that has kept him out since Week 2. The foot hasn’t improved. Throw that on top of offseason surgery on his throwing shoulder, and there are major questions about whether Newton, 30, is breaking down physically.
That’s the health part of it. Now, let’s get to the wealth aspect. First off, the Panthers already have found Newton’s replacement in Kyle Allen, who has shown he’s a winner. They also have Will Grier, a third-round pick this year out of West Virginia. Allen and Grier are each making NFL minimum wage. Newton is not.
Newton is scheduled to make $21 million in 2020. Why pay that amount to a player who may be washed up? Throw in the fact that the Panthers would take only a $2 million hit in dead money if they cut Newton, a former No. 1 overall pick and the 2015 NFL Most Valuable Player, and it’s a no-brainer. The Panthers would free up $19 million in cap space.
Newton is as good as gone from Carolina. But what’s next? Despite the questions about his health, Newton still will draw interest elsewhere. He has inherent talent. If Newton can get healthy again, he can win a lot more games with the right team. But who’s the right team?
Let’s take a look at 10 possibilities:
10. Carolina Panthers
Before we throw Newton off Carolina’s roster, let’s consider a few things. First, Newton has enjoyed some great years there, winning Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2011 and MVP in 2015. He also has endured some bad years, such as this season and 2018. If Newton can get healthy, he could remain the face of the franchise. The Panthers know Newton’s health situation better than anyone. If they think Newton can get back to what he was, they’ll find a way to keep him.
9. Miami Dolphins
Although the Cincinnati Bengals are winless and currently have a leg up on the Dolphins in the race for next year’s top draft pick, never give up on Miami. The Dolphins have the league’s worst quarterback tandem with veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick and second-year pro Josh Rosen. Both probably will be gone in 2020. So, if the Dolphins don’t draft a quarterback, where do they turn? Newton would be a solid alternative.
8. New England Patriots
There have been recent reports that Tom Brady, 42, could be with another team next season or retire. I’ll believe it when I see it. But let’s say, for some reason, Brady isn’t back with the Patriots next year. Jarrett Stidham, a fourth-round pick this year from Auburn, never will be a franchise quarterback. The Patriots won’t have a draft pick early enough to get an elite quarterback. So, how do you keep the dynasty alive? You bring in a former MVP and let Bill Belichick work his magic.
7. New York Jets
The 1-7 Jets remain high on Sam Darnold. But why? He missed three games with mononucleosis, but he’s been terrible when he has played (1,077 passing yards with six touchdowns and nine interceptions). The Jets could end up with a very early draft pick and choose a quarterback. But this is a team that needs to speed up the building process, and Newton could do that. If healthy, Newton could be the biggest thing to hit Broadway since Joe Namath.
6. Tennessee Titans
The Titans already pulled the plug on former No. 2 overall draft pick Marcus Mariota after he was unable to get the offense moving. They’ve turned things over to Miami reject Ryan Tannehill, who actually has played relatively well, throwing for over 300 yards in two of his three starts. But, is Tannehill really the long-term answer? No, he flopped like a fish with the Dolphins. Newton, if healthy, would be a major upgrade.
5. Pittsburgh Steelers
Ben Roethlisberger is out for the season with an elbow injury and has talked of retirement in the past. Second-year pro Mason Rudolph has shown some moxie by winning his past two starts. But Rudolph never will be a franchise quarterback. The Steelers probably won’t be drafting early enough to get a franchise quarterback. So where do they turn if Roethlisberger retires? Maybe Newton.
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Despite all the hype about how new coach Bruce Arians was going to come in and turn around enigmatic quarterback Jameis Winston, it hasn’t happened. The Bucs are 2-6, and Winston has been as inconsistent as ever. That means Winston’s future in Tampa Bay isn’t very bright. He’s in the final year of his rookie contract, and he’s given the Bucs no reason to sign him to a long-term contract. Why not bring in Newton? With talented receivers such as Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, Newton might throw for 5,000 yards.
3. Los Angeles Chargers
Philip Rivers, 37, is in the final year of his contract, and the 4-5 Chargers have been a major disappointment. It’s time to move on from Rivers, but where do the Chargers turn? Tyrod Taylor is the backup, but he’s not a long-term answer. Newton could step in and fix a lot of what has ailed the Chargers. Plus, he would give fans something to get excited about as the team moves into a new stadium next season.
2. Denver Broncos
Despite an efficient day (193 passing yards and two touchdowns) in Sunday’s victory against the Cleveland Browns, Brandon Allen is not the long-term answer. He took over ahead of second-round pick Drew Lock after veteran starter Joe Flacco suffered a season-ending injury. Lock also has been injured, but he’s expected to be healthy soon. But Lock is no lock. In fact, the Broncos have struggled at quarterback since Peyton Manning’s retirement. They might be better off bringing in another veteran and former MVP.
1. Chicago Bears
Let’s face it, Mitchell Trubisky has played miserably, and the 3-5 Bears might be the most disappointing team in the league. The Bears are loaded with talent, but Trubisky is going to wreck the ship and keep the Bears out of the playoffs this season. With a healthy Newton on Chicago’s roster in 2020, the Bears could be a legitimate Super Bowl contender.
Pat Yasinskas has covered the NFL since 1993. He has worked for The Tampa Tribune, The Charlotte Observer and ESPN.com and writes for numerous national magazines and websites. He also has served as a voter for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
