Cam Newton will apparently remain with the Carolina Panthers this year, so how does that significant domino affect the rest of the quarterback market?
Cam Newton and the Carolina Panther seemed set to part ways this offseason, with some level of rebuild coming under new head coach Matt Rhule and the ability to shed the final year of his contract with mostly positive impact on the salary cap.
But not so fast.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported Tuesday morning that the Panthers are moving forward with Newton as their starting quarterback. The idea he won’t be game-ready coming back from a foot injury for several months stands to try up whatever trade market there might be for Newton.
So how does Carolina keeping Newton affect the upcoming offseason quarterback market?
Even with durability concerns, as a right shoulder issue derailed his 2018 season and with last year’s foot issue costing him all but two games, plenty of teams were sure to have interest in Newton. A former league MVP doesn’t come available often, let alone one with some good years ahead of him (health-permitting) approaching age-31.
It’s been easy to point to teams like the Los Angeles Chargers, Chicago Bears, Indianapolis Colts and Tampa Bay Buccaneers as potential suitors for Newton, with some others (New England Patriots, Las Vegas Raiders, Tennessee Titans) as fainter possibilities depending on how things take shape.
With Newton no longer available, as much as he can declared so in late-February, teams who were considering a move to get him now have to pivot. The list of available options is long right now, with Tom Brady, Dak Prescott (?), Philip Rivers, Teddy Bridgewater, Ryan Tannehill, Jameis Winston, Andy Dalton and Marcus Mariota as some names who are free agents or available via trade. For some teams, a turn toward the quarterback crop in April’s draft may prove more viable than signing an outside veteran.
Newton is a big domino to be taken off the board, there’s no doubt about it. But in what’s set to be an active quarterback carousel, teams that may have wanted him have plenty of options to move on to.