The NFL is a quarterback-driven league, and Cam Newton is set to be one of the biggest free agent passers on the market. The one-time league MVP didn’t have his best season in 2020, but he should still have a market in free agency. Without further ado, let’s take a look at the possible teams that could pursue Newton in the coming months.
Cam Newton Possible Free Agent Landing Spots
New England Patriots
Cam Newton is not a perfect quarterback, but it’s hard to see New England finding a better alternative. Unless they trade for Matthew Stafford or Matt Ryan, the best quarterbacks available will probably we Jimmy Garoppolo, Carson Wentz, and Jameis Winston. While Newton isn’t the most accurate passer in the short part of the field, he’s a better option than all three aforementioned quarterbacks.
Most of Newton’s underwhelming numbers were a direct result of a terrible supporting cast that even made the great Tom Brady look mortal in 2019. He can still throw the ball deep and could be an adequate bridge quarterback if New England upgrades their supporting cast. Armed with approximately $60.5 million in cap space, the Patriots could easily sign two or three offensive weapons and bring Newton back for another season or two.
Washington Football Team
Taylor Heinicke balled out against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Wild Card round, and the Washington Football Team should definitely bring him back in 2021. However, it would be foolish to place too much hope in somebody with only two NFL starts to his name. Cam Newton is the perfect safety option at quarterback, and offers a much higher ceiling than fellow veteran Alex Smith. Seeing as he spent nearly a decade with head coach Ron Rivera in Carolina, he should pick up the system quickly and offer great competition for Heinicke.
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears have a fantastic defense, a solid offensive line, and a great up-and-coming receiver in Darnell Mooney. However, they don’t have a quarterback. The Mitchell Trubisky Era should come to a long-overdue end this offseason, and Nick Foles is nothing more than an overpaid backup. This team truly is a quarterback away from legitimate title contention, and they don’t have the draft capital to get one of 2021’s elite prospects. Adding Newton and re-signing Allen Robinson might not be enough to win the division, but it should be enough to ensure yet another trip to the postseason.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is still under contract for one more season, but the two-time Super Bowl champion hasn’t looked like himself this year. One year after undergoing elbow surgery, Roethlisberger simply cannot stretch the field and is holding back an otherwise-competitive roster. Roethlisberger carries a $22 million cap hit next year, so it’s hard to imagine the team cutting ties with the longtime NFL veteran. However, if he retires, Pittsburgh will need to do something to address the quarterback position.
Roethlisberger might not be great anymore, but the team can get by with him under center. The same cannot be said for Mason Rudolph or Devlin Hodges. Both quarterbacks saw extensive playing time in 2019, and both guys proved that they are not the long-term answer under center. If the Steelers need a short-term answer for this win-now roster, Cam Newton would arguably be an upgrade on the 2020 version of Roethlisberger.
Honorable Mentions: San Francisco 49ers, Denver Broncos
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