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If the New York Jets want to add veteran quarterback Cam Newton, they will have to pay the piper.
Newton, currently an unrestricted free agent, was asked on “RGIII and The Ones,” a podcast created by former quarterback Robert Griffin III, what would be his answer if the Jets called?
“Going back to control? You not about to sit up there and penny-pinch me, bro. I’m not about to sit up there and sign no $5.5 million dollar deal bro,” Newton explained. “Those days are over with, I’d be wasting my time.”
Reacting to Potential Newton-Jets Pairing in 2023
There is a lot to unpack there.
First, the “$5.5 million” comment seems to be in response to the last professional contract Newton signed in the NFL, back in 2021 with the Carolina Panthers. Newton signed that deal on November 11 after then-starting quarterback Sam Darnold got hurt.
Second, it seems unlikely that the Jets would be interested in Newton for a number of reasons.
Throughout his 11-year NFL career to date, Newton has only served as a starting quarterback outside of a few rare exceptions. He has appeared in 148 games and has made 145 starts during that time span.
The way Newton was talking in the podcast sure sounded like a man who would make a football comeback for a starting opportunity, not to be a clipboard holder.
In that same vein, the Jets have already added a veteran quarterback to the bullpen. Trevor Siemian isn’t a name that excites people, but he is exactly what the Jets were looking for. Head coach Robert Saleh explained to the media that there wouldn’t be any kind of quarterback competition; he said emphatically that this is “Zach’s team.”
Siemian is a veteran by every definition of the word who has served as a backup previously in his career and would not cause a stir among the fans. At the time of the Siemian signing, Zach Wilson was under the most scrutiny he had been since becoming the starting quarterback of the team.
Adding a notable name with accolades featuring an MVP, Super Bowl appearance, and being one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks of all time could have created a potential controversy in the locker room.
Newton Talks Aaron Rodgers, Zach Wilson & the Jets Situation
In the wise words of Billy Mays, “But wait — there’s more.”
Newton continued to discuss the hypothetical Jets opportunity with RG3 on the podcast.
“In any situation, I’m gonna sit up there and I’m [gonna] analyze it as much as possible,” Newton explained. “I don’t want to walk into a dysfunctional situation. Have you guys made Zach Wilson aware? Also, Aaron Rodgers is trying to come back this year. Let’s also talk about that. So, when he comes back is it just gonna be something that you just say, hey watch out. So, it’s a lot of things that I just don’t make impulse decisions.”
Those are a lot of demands for a player who hasn’t played in basically two years. Also, Newton isn’t the MVP-level player anymore that he was back in 2015. It’s 2023. The Jets wouldn’t be getting Superman, they’d be getting Clark Kent.
Newton has thrown more interceptions than touchdowns in three straight seasons during two stints with the Panthers and a run with the New England Patriots. At 34 years old, Newton isn’t in a position to be making demands, which probably explains why he has been on the couch since the end of the 2021 season.
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