Free agent Cam Newton is looking for a starting gig, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. Unfortunately for the one-time MVP, there aren’t many openings left after the draft. 
The Chargers likely took themselves out of the Newton sweepstakes by selecting Oregon’s Justin Herbert with the No. 6 overall pick. In theory, Newton could serve as a veteran bridge to a rookie – especially one as green as Herbert – but they already have Tyrod Taylor to occupy that role on a very reasonable contract. Meanwhile, the Dolphins have Tua Tagovailoa and the Jaguars seem prepared to roll with Gardner Minshew. In theory, that leaves the Patriots, though their level of interest in Newton is unclear. At the moment, their QB room includes veteran Brian Hoyer and newly signed UDFA Brian Lewerke, a Michigan State product who lobbed 17 touchdowns against 13 interceptions last year.
After the Panthers moved on from Newton, the QB’s camp has been preaching patience. The 30-year-old is out to prove himself all over again after a lost season, but there are no clear openings for him at present. Newton’s best bet – and perhaps only bet – would be to wait for QB injuries to pop up elsewhere. Even then, any team with interest in Newton will take a very close inspection of his foot and shoulder injuries.
Newton was limited to only two games in 2019, but he did make 14 starts in 2018. In that year, he completed a career-best 67.9% of his throws for 3,395 yards, 24 TDs, and 13 picks. He also showed that he can still make plays with his feet – he tallied 488 rushing yards and four scores on 101 carries.
Pats should certainly consider signing him to a multi-year deal with relatively easy to get incentives and then consider trading him at the end of the year. because as much as it might be worth seeing what you have in Stidham, its really no harm to wait a year.
Why? Patriots need to know what Stidham is so they can move in other directions next year if they have to. Why put that off if they think he is ready now? Pats don’t need Cam drama.
because they can probably win this year with Cam and could get serious draft capital for him if he does well. if not you have Stidham waiting in the wings.
They don’t have the cap space required for that sort of move
So a guy that is unsigned is going to bring you serious draft capital? Hah
This isn’t Madden. You don’t just get a pick from a team offering a player who’s got a talent number next to his name, like you’re going to see Rick at Gold & Silver. He’s not getting draft capital.
It’s best to stick with those who are there now because OTAs and training camps are a long ways away. Learning a new system as a starting QB is hard enough in the NFL without those there to help. Coaches can’t watch you practice to know what you’re good at and form a game plan based around those strengths.
Stidham is the only starting caliber guy there who has practiced with the team and knows the offense. This was not a good environment to break in a new QB. Belichick knows that. He’ll try again if he has to when all his facilities are open.
@itslonelyatthetop “Stidham is the only starting caliber guy there”
How on earth would anyone know if this is true? He’s thrown four passes in the NFL and was not heralded as a starting caliber guy coming out of college. Hoyer could be 10x better for all anyone knows.
Patriots aren’t changing their system for cam newton.
End of story.
Also I’m sure Stidham is more accurate, because hes a human that is alive
Why do you need to know what you have in Stidham before ‘moving on’? He was a fourth round pick and they have nothing invested in him. Stidham should not under any circumstances be driving your decision to sign Cam or not.
What happens if Stidham lays an egg in the preseason or early weeks? Your season is ruined before it even starts. If the Patriots want to contend at all this year, they need options. If they can get Newton or even Dalton on an incentive-based prove-it deal, they should. At a minimum, it would provide competition and options.
Rolling with a scrub like Hoyer and a giant question mark in Stidham is a recipe for a mediocre team that misses the playoffs. Yes, Belichick is a genius, but if Stidham is garbage, it won’t make a difference.
Why you acting like that would make yall better. There day are done, it’s my boys time Baltimore Ravens time and KC 2 run the AFC. Been ravens fan since 1996, 1997. I’m 30 now. Pat’s are DONE and time for Buffalo to take over and hopefully Miami can do something. Had an amazing draft.
As long as they have Kraft and Belichick, they aren’t done. Those two pieces have been the primary reason for the team’s success over the past 20 years, and this year will prove it.
Neither Belichick nor Kraft will be under center this year, so if Hoyer and Stidham play poorly, they’re done, no matter how smart Belichick and Kraft are.
I think the Bills have enough to win division. Pats still a playoff team. Im a Chiefs guy but how about them Orioles.
The Pats and Newton are a perfect match. They both are has beens. Does anyone seriously expect either to do well this year?
There’s a reason Bill’s dog looked so sad and lonely during the draft …
The Packers are obviously the best fit since they have plenty of experience dealing with an egomaniac who pouts and whines when he doesn’t get his own way.
if I suffered through the last three drafts as a member of the packers. I’d be up in arms too
Lol what a stupid thing to say, Rodgers is painted that way by media, notice how all former teammates with the exception of Jennings and Finley fiercely stick up for him. Don’t be lazy and read headlines from assholes at FOX and such.
Rodgers issues are with management not players. Can’t blame him it’s clear that they want to run the ball 40 times a game even though they have one of the top QBs and the worst WR/TE group in the game.
Rodgers has issues. Period.
Next you’ll be trying to convince us all that Trump isn’t a buffoon…the media just paints him that way…lol.
Nah homie you’re dead on there. But the Rodgers stuff is all hearsay from talking heads like Cowherd on Fox or Florio on PFT. Trump on the other hand… aids literally try to prevent him from speaking too long as he’s such an ignorant ass lmao.
It’s almost like his attitude and mentality have turned people off…who knew
Why would you not mention Stidham on their QB room?
Lol this guy never includes Stidham for some reason
Is Derek Carr the guy? Raiders could bring Cam in to compete..?
they already got Mariota to back Carr up so no lol
You’re right, forgot about Mariota.
Stop it with the Derek Carr stuff already.
Carr is out of excuses. If you watch Gruden qb camp , Carr is the complete opposite of what Griden likes in a qb.
The Bears probably would have been better off saving the fourth round pick and cap space to get Foles, and taking a cheap flyer on Cam instead
Yeah. But the Bears are going to be the Bears. Im thinking that the Bears thought process was that Foles’ signing was to push Mitchell Trubisky. Foles is obviously a little more comfortable with being a backup.
No good spot for Cam now. Tennessee doesn’t have a backup QB and it’s entirely possible Tanny was a 1 year wonder. Unfortunately they dumped so much cash into the Tanny man that you can’t bring in a guy like Cam to the locker room.
Cam’s best bet is to wait for that first injury if he wants a starting job. The teams he’s talented enough to start on where he plausibly could w/o wrecking up their long term plans IMO:
Miami, Washington, NE
Don’t think any of those 3 will sign him though.
Cleveland is ready to win now. He could very easily be a better option than Baker but they can’t do that to Baker at this point. He has to be given another year.
IMO if he wants to sign now. The Steelers make the most sense. He could sit behind Ben in Pittsburgh and wait for that almost inevitable injury
Oakland or Jacksonville too. But I don’t think Jax really cares about trying to win too many football games this year. Even if you bring Cam in—that’s not gonna be a good football team. Think that they’d rather see if Minshew could be the guy long term.
Oakland already has Mariota and Carr. Didn’t think Carr was all that bad last year personally. The receivers he was given to work with were an absolute joke. Tyrell Williams as your #1 and a bunch of low round/UDFA as your other guys. That was probably the worst group of pass catchers in the NFL last season. I think Edwards was a steal in the 3rd and then you obviously add a guy like Ruggs w/huge speed. He actually has some weapons to go along w/ Jacobs and Waller this year.
I think Jacksonville is the best fit for him if he wants a chance at the starting job. I think Minshew earned the right to start this year, but if he slumps then I think Cam could step right in.
Anywhere else, he’s probably a backup. I think Buffalo would be a great fit (he’s similar enough to Josh Allen and the Bills have a lot of Carolina guys in their front office and coaching staff), but they also have Fromm and Barkley so they don’t necessarily need another backup. But if he was willing to sit behind someone, I think Buffalo would be perfect.
I think Buffalo is a worse fit than Cleveland. I hear you on the body type and gameplay but Josh Allen is not comfortable enough as a starting QB to do that. That’s as bad as throwing him in Cleveland. Two bad games from Mayfield or Allen and you’re dealing with a split locker room. Because guys are gonna want Cam in there. You’d hear it in the media and the locker room to some extent. You can’t have that. (especially with that potential cancer Diggs in Buffalo. I can already see Allen not giving him enough targets and the complaints rolling in)
Jags, yeah. I hear you. I don’t think they have any intention of winning football games this year though. If it weren’t for the circus that Kitchens was running in Cleveland; they would’ve been the biggest disaster in football. I think Marrone is still there to take the blame and so they don’t expose a new coach to a season of complete garbage. You still have players demanding trades and dumping on the FO there. I don’t honestly think that’s good for Cam’s career either.
I think they’ll start fresh next year with perhaps the #1 pick(Trevor Lawrence)
What would Cam do in Oakland? He’d be quite lonely in an empty stadium. I don’t think they would let him all by himself.
Cam doesn’t know the system at all and can’t stay healthy ever. Plus he has sucked since the NFC Championship game a few years back.
Yeah, people somehow are forgetting that Newton has sucked for some time now.
I think the Steelers are the best fit. Their backups are beyond dumpster fires and Cam has the best chance of starting there.
He has no chance of starting there.
No shot of starting over Ben today. But Ben is 38 and always banged up. Not that Cam’s injury history is any cleaner, but, you know Big Ben’s body is going to give out on him sooner or later. If he wants to sign today—that looks like one of the best paths to playing time.
That’s not what I meant. He isn’t starting anywhere. However, he has the best chance of if he signs a multi-year deal.
Ben Roethlisberger is no guarantee with that shoulder and could be 1 hit away from retirement. He would have a chance.
I don’t think anyone will sign Cam until he proves he’s completely healthy. And, if teams can’t put him through a full workout as well as have their doctors give him a thorough exam, no one will sign him yet. So, he’ll probably be a FA through the summer at a minimum.
This is why Cam will be hard to sign. He wants a starting job doesn’t want to go earn one. The guy had one good year a few OK years and some poor ones. He has been coddled and treated with kid gloves probably since HS. Find a team like the Jags then go prove you are a starter and take the job.
The other issue with some teams is how does he fit into their offensive style? You also likely can’t sign him until he gets a physical so even if you want to give him a one year deal, he will be behind learning your offense as well. Let’s says NE who doesn’t have a proven guy. Hoyer and Stidham know that offense and have already been given the 2020 playbook. How well would newton adapt to that style, given a late start and how well does he fit that offense? I think Newton will start games somewhere in the next season or two but he will need to push for a team like JAX or WAS and come in as a backup and hope for a Bridgewater (injury) or Tannehill (current starter fails) situation.
I want to know when teams are going to finally realize the way the Packers way of getting a quarterback ready in this league. You let them sit for two years or so and learn. Then you get them to start. Personally Cam would be a good situation for the Packers. If Rodgers misses time then you insert Cam. Jordan becomes your third qb/ clipboard holder let him learn to Love getting ready for the future.
He needs to stick to the runway doing fashions shows. Drama, Drama, Drama. Stick a fork in him the only one who knows he isnt done is Cam himself.
Some QB will inevitably get hurt
Snipe hunt for fig newtons. Go design hats.
Cam Newton should retire. People and NFL don’t respect him.Stop talking about President Trump. Learn to pray.