Getty NFL free agent QB Cam Newton.
The Washington Redskins head into the 2020 season without a proven option at the quarterback position. Dwayne Haskins had an uneven rookie campaign, inspiring new head coach Ron Rivera to declare a true open competition. The team brought in Kyle Allen to push Haskins, though Allen hasn’t proven to be more than a spot starter in the league.
Former NFL quarterback and current Pro Football Focus analyst Bruce Gradkowski (as he tells Ted Nguyen of The Athletic) believes Washington would be the best fit for Cam Newton. Reunited Newton with Rivera would provide an environment where the team can compete now and allow Haskins to progress from the sideline.
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, who will turn 31 in May, 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. Still, he’s. a capable option for teams without established starters, including Washington.
Coronavirus Impacting Cam Newton’s Free Agent Stock
Newton’s prolonged unemployment has been a product of many factors, including the coronavirus pandemic, which has taken away the ability to have NFL medical teams evaluate him.
“It’s so much possibility for me right now, but the fact that this corona situation has hit, I’m not a person to blame or do any of that things, man, it’s business,” Newton told Chris Paul on Instagram Live. “But at the same time, I think I have been affected in a lot of ways, and it’s just [unfortunate], but yeah, at the end of the day, man, I’m going to let the ball play how it play, man, and go from there.”
Where Will Newton Sign?
There aren’t many starting quarterback slots available. Early in free agency, veteran QBs like Philip Rivers and Nick Foles found new homes but Newton has yet to find a fit among his limited options.
In addition to the Redskins, the Chargers are a logical destination (at least sportsbooks think so). Miami is without an established starting quarterback, though the franchise is expected to draft a quarterback with one of their first-rounders and hand over the team to that prospect.
The Patriots are dealing with turnover at the starting quarterback slot for the first time this Millenium and Newton would help them attempt to move on from Tom Brady. Jacksonville is another team, though they seem content with Gardner Minshew.
The Panthers inked Teddy Bridgewater this offseason, which means a last-minute reconciling in Carolina is off the table. Newton, who has spent his entire career with the Panthers since getting drafted back in 2011, is dealing with something he’s never seen before.
“I’m a fish out of water. I’ve never not known anything other than the Carolina Panthers, and now it’s like I want God to direct my path and put me in a position where I can thrive and be myself. But on top of that, it’s still [about] becoming better,” Newton said.