The quarterback carousel in the NFL was a rather wild ride this offseason with several signal-callers finding new homes. The Bears (Nick Foles), Colts (Philip Rivers), and Buccaneers (oh just Tom Brady, no big deal) were among the teams that found new veteran quarterbacks.
Cam Newton, who was released by the Panthers after the team added two new quarterbacks, has not yet found a home.
Newton struggled with injuries over the past two seasons. Foot surgery limited him to just two games played in 2019 and he wasn’t sharp in those contests, compiling zero touchdowns and one interception while completing 56.2 percent of his passes.
It’s been a while since Newton has been in MVP form. He won the award back in 2015 during a 15-1 run that saw the team make the Super Bowl. He had some success in 2017, leading the team to the playoffs, though his 59.1% completion percentage that season left much to be desired. Still, he should have enough left in the tank to supply a team with quality starts.
Odds for Cam Newton’s New Team Shifting
The Patriots are one of three teams where the odds have shifted in a positive direction. New England has Brian Hoyer and Jarrett Stidham in the pocket and the team has publicly stated that it feels comfortable with its options. New England’s salary situation makes it difficult to envision the team making a big-time acquisition, though perhaps Newton sees starting for the Patriots as a valuable role and take a discount.
The Panthers attempted to shop the QB to Chargers (among other teams), prior to releasing him. However, at that time, his $19 million salary for next season didn’t make the sense for the club. As a free agent—and likely a lesser salary—Los Angeles has more interest.
The Chargers’ odds rose drastically last week after he was seen working out with Tyrod Taylor (the man who is currently slated to start for Los Angeles). The odds dropped slightly this week, though Los Angeles remains the favorite for Cam’s services. Regardless, the franchise is likely to draft a signal-caller later this month.
The Steelers’ odds for Newton are creeping up (from +2000 to +1500), though it’s still a long-shot for the pairing to happen. He’d serve as a back-up (and insurance policy) to Big Ben in a nice situation that would likely allow him to hit the market next summer.
Team | Current Odds | 3/28 Odds |
Chargers | +200 | +175 |
Dolphins | +300 | +380 |
Jaguars | +350 | +280 |
Broncos | +550 | +380 |
Patriots | +600 | +650 |
Redskins | +1000 | +750 |
Raiders | +1300 | +1200 |
Steelers | +1500 | +2000 |
Odds via | FanDuel |
Redskins Remain a Curious Suitor
The Redskins seemed like a good fit earlier this offseason, though the franchise opted to trade for the Panthers’ other QB, Kyle Allen. Washington sent a fifth-rounder to Carolina to reunite Ron Rivera with Allen.
Trading for Newton would have been problematic. He was set to make $19 million this upcoming season and with the franchise already paying Alex Smith in addition to last year’s first-rounder Dwayne Haskins, the financial resources for more at the position were hard to come by. Yet, with Newton on the market, perhaps he comes at a lower price.
No team stands to gain more from signing Newton. Washington projects to win over two more games with the QB on the roster vs. their current options.
That may have more to do with the fact that neither Allen nor Haskins has proven that they are long-term starting material over any sort of hope that Newton can return to top form. The franchise is in the mix to take Tua Tagovailoa with the No. 2 overall pick, so another QB addition is possible, though short of bringing in a top rookie, Newton still makes sense for the nation’s capital.
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Patriots, Steelers Odds for Cam Newton Shift Again