Getty The Seahawks could see Cam Newton in Week 2 vs. the Patriots on Sunday Night Football.
Cam Newton remains on the free-agent market, and the Seahawks admitted they are open to exploring the idea of signing the former Panthers quarterback. The Seahawks only have Russell Wilson and undrafted free agent Anthony Gordon on the roster. Seahawks general manager John Schneider noted the team is open to exploring Newton and other available quarterbacks when asked about the former Panthers star in a recent interview with KJR 950 Seattle.
“We are in on everything…We do have to address the backup-quarterback situation,” Schneider told KJR (via The News Tribune). “But that’s one along the way we were able to sign Gordon from Washington State, who we are very excited about.”
Schneider implied that this idea has more to do with the team’s approach rather than anything specific to Newton. Both Schneider and head coach Pete Carroll like to emphasize that they are “in on everything” when it comes to improving their roster.
“Well, we’ll look at everything,” Schneider said, per The News Tribune. “We never say no to anything. You know, we go all the way to the wire with everybody, every deal that we’re in. So, we’ll poke our head around, with everything.”
Newton Is Unlikely to Find an Opportunity to Compete for a Starting Job
Newton’s chances of landing an opportunity to compete for a starting spot appears to be greatly diminished. The former Panthers quarterback could follow a similar model to what Teddy Bridgewater did which allowed him to once again become a starter heading into next season. Bridgewater sat behind Drew Brees in a successful Saints offense and was able to parlay that experience into a starting opportunity with the Panthers.
There are much more volatile quarterback situations than the Seahawks given Wilson’s success. Newton would not be joining the Seahawks to compete with Wilson but could use the year to rebuild his stock heading into 2021 free agency. Jameis Winston is attempting to follow this philosophy by signing a one-year deal with the Saints.
The Patriots Have Passed on Signing Newton So Far
While there is still time for things to change, the Patriots appear poised to start the season with Jarrett Stidham as the team’s quarterback. The Patriots have not shown an interest in signing Newton so far.
“FYI nothing has changed here. The Patriots haven’t shown any interest in signing Cam Newton, per source,” The Athletic’s Jeff Howe tweeted on April 27.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported in April that Newton was prepared to wait “until after the draft and beyond” to sign with a team. As Newton remains unsigned, Fowler’s description remains true.
“Source close to Cam Newton says QB willing to stay patient, possibly until after draft and beyond to find right fit,” Fowler explained on Twitter.
The Seahawks Have Had a Revolving Door at Backup Quarterback
The Seahawks begin most seasons with a new quarterback behind Wilson. Last season, the Seahawks brought in Geno Smith, but the team’s former backup quarterback remains unsigned. It sounds like the Seahawks will give Gordon every opportunity to win the backup role, but the team is still likely to sign at least one more quarterback to compete for a roster spot.
Gordon put up eye-popping numbers in Mike Leach’s offense at Washington State. The quarterback threw for 5,579 yards, 48 touchdowns and 16 interceptions while completing more than 71 percent of his passes last season. It will be worth monitoring whether the Seahawks sign a veteran like Newton or rely on Gordon to be Wilson’s backup.