Getty Cam Newton
Calls for the Dallas Cowboys to bring aboard free-agent quarterback Cam Newton are intensifying in the wake of Dak Prescott’s right calf strain, which has caused even the most prominent fans to press the panic button.
“I’m sorry, but as a Cowboy fan, I am worried about Dak’s calf,” Skip Bayless of Fox Sports 1 tweeted Monday. “Sounds like he couldn’t play if Cowboys didn’t have a bye. A calf strain/pull can linger (see: Zack Martin, Gallup). I don’t love the thought of Cooper Rush at Vikes. Before season, I said sign Cam Newton.”
Au contraire, Skip.
Prescott — who injured his calf on the final play of Sunday’s overtime win at New England, a 35-yard touchdown pass to CeeDee Lamb — stressed after the game that he could have continued playing if need be.
“Yeah, I was like, no way, life keeps throwing punches and I’m gonna keep throwing them back,” Prescott said in his postgame press conference. “Yeah, I mean, it’s part of this game, it’s a physical game we play. As I said, I’ll be fine, I’ve got a lot of confidence in myself, the medical team, and as I said, I feel good.
“Obviously, this is [a] precaution, but yeah just more so thinking about the [game-winning] touchdown, it doesn’t hurt as bad. Obviously, when you score and you win the game, so all that’s a plus and credit to CeeDee [Lamb] right there and just the play call for us to get in that moment and to be able to go score and capitalize on that great call by Kellen [Moore].”
Nevertheless, Bayless is not alone in speculating whether Dallas should sign Newton if only to upgrade on current backups Cooper Rush and Will Grier.
@GehlkenNFL Jerry Jones needs to stop being so stubborn. @dallascowboys should sign @CameronNewton . The next 3 games(Vikings, Broncos and Falcons) are games that Cam can win for us, while allowing @dak time to rest and heal. Gilbert, Rush or Danuci couldn’t beat any of them.
@dallascowboys
Why don’t you go get Cam Newton, we need a viable backup. Cooper Rush will not get it done. He can’t make any other Roster in the NFL. Cam is very similar to Dak.
@dallascowboys qb Dak has a calf strain, if it’s nothing, great. But if it is and he compensates with his arm, does it flare up? Buffalo signed Trubisky to be qb2, not bad. I think the boys should protect themselves and sign Cam Newton as qb2. Nothing bad with loading up.
@dallascowboys @CameronNewton I don’t know if anyone will agree with me or not but, if I’m Cam, I get on the phone to Jerry Jones and.say I would love the opportunity to backup Dak. Don’t wish him getting hurt but if he goes down hmm… Rush or former #1 pk, All Pro, NFL MVP.#Vax
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Cam Pining to Play in 2021
Released by the New England Patriots in August, Newton has toiled on the open market due to several factors — including his vaccination status. Some believe Bill Belichick dumped the former league MVP because, at the time, he wasn’t immunized against COVID-19.
Newton, however, recently revealed that he is now fully vaccinated, hopeful the move increases his odds of finding a new NFL home this fall.
“I still want to play football,” Newton said in a YouTube video released Sunday, per USA Today. “I still get that urge to go out and perform and do something that I’ve been doing since I was 7 years old.”
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Cowboys ‘Optimistic’ About Dak’s Return
Prescott underwent an MRI on his calf Monday which confirmed a strain, head coach Mike McCarthy announced. The issue, though, is dissimilar to that of wide receiver Michael Gallup, who remains sidelined after going down in the season-opening loss to Tampa Bay.
As such, both McCarthy and Cowboys vice president Stephen Jones intimated that Prescott is on track for his next scheduled game action — Halloween Day against the Vikings — following the team’s Week 7 bye.
“Dak had an MRI this morning, he has a calf strain,” McCarthy said Monday. “We’re gonna take this week for rest and rehab. They’re gonna re-evaluate Monday [after the bye] and just the words from [athletic trainer Jim Maurer], we’re optimistic for Minnesota. But I think, like any calf strain, especially this early, this close to the injury, there is variance of timelines but we’re optimistic for Minnesota.”
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Follow Zack Kelberman on Twitter: @KelbermanNFL