Getty Cam Newton #1 of the Carolina Panthers warms up before the game against the New Orleans Saints at Caesars Superdome on January 02, 2022 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
During preseason, the Buffalo Bills went ahead and secured quarterback Josh Allen to a six-year, $258 million contract extension, which means the team’s franchise star won’t be going anywhere for quite some time.
However, the same can’t be said for Allen’s backup, Mitch Trubisky, who took a huge discount to sign a one-year, $2.5 contract with the Bills during the offseason, despite receiving higher offers from other teams.
ALL the latest Bills news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Bills newsletter here!
Both Trubiksy and the Bills always knew this was a temporary gig for him in Buffalo. General manager Brandon Beane said after signing Trubisky in March 2020, “This is a reset for him. We don’t expect him to be here [for the] long term.”
While Allen and Trubisky got on extremely well, the chances of the former Chicago Bears starter remaining in Buffalo next season are slim to none.
There are numerous teams in need of a quarterback and as Bleacher Report‘s Christopher Knox pointed out on Tuesday, January 11, Trubisky can expect to field several offers.
“The 2022 draft class doesn’t have a ‘can’t-miss’ quarterback prospect like Joe Burrow or Trevor Lawrence,” Knox wrote. “It’s also because the free-agent class lacks starting-caliber options.”
Cam Newton Will Not Return to Play With the Carolina Panthers – Wants to Join a Winning Franchise
Cam Newton says he’s healthy, and is willing to accept a backup role in the right situation, for a winning-type team:
“I’m not coming back for no 5-12. I can tell you that now.”
After a rollercoaster of a season for quarterback Cam Newton. Just before the 2021 NFL started, the 32-year-old was cut by the New England Patriots after head coach Bill Belichick chose rookie Mac Jones as the team’s starter, and he remained a free agent before landing with his former team, the Carolina Panthers, as a backup in November.
The 2015 MVP, once known for his overconfident and boisterous personality, has since eaten a huge slice of humble pie. While Newton announced on Monday, January 11 that he’s done playing in Carolina, he’s realistic about his skills and said he’s down to remain a backup in order to play with a winning franchise.
CAM NEWTON TD. HE’S BACK. 👏
(via @NFL)
The three-time Pro Bowler discussed the adjustment period of moving from a starter to a backup, but if the opportunity arose to join a team like the Bills, who finished the season with an 11-6 record and clinched the AFC East division for the second year in a row, Newton sounds like he’d jump on it.
“I think I’ve proved to the people I need to prove to my worth, my value,” Newton said. “Me answering this now, just a day removed from the season, I don’t know what that looks like. But can I tell you do I have a lot of football [left], do I want to play? Yeah. But under the right conditions.”
Bills’ Offensive & Defensive Coordinators Are Also Expected to Be Hot Commodities On the Hiring Market
GettyBuffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll looks on before a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
With Allen breaking numerous franchise records, and the Bills defense ranked No.1 in the league, the Bills offensive coordinator, Brian Daboll, and defensive coordinator, Leslie Frazier, are expected to be two of the top names receiving interview requests this offseason.
Daboll, who won the AP’s Assistant Coach of the Year last season, was named by Bleacher Report‘s Maurice Moton ranked Daboll as the No. 3 on his list of “Top Head Coaching Candidates for 2022 Job Openings” on January 7.
GettyDefensive coordinator Leslie Frazier of the Buffalo Bills looks on before the game against the Miami Dolphins at Highmark Stadium on October 31, 2021 in Orchard Park, New York.
As for Frazier, the requests are already starting to pour in. ESPN’s Dan Graziano tweeted on Monday, “Per source, the Bears have requested permission to interview Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier for their head coach opening.”
READ NEXT: NY Giants Request to Interview Top Bills Exec for GM Job: Report