Cam Newton is on track for free agency in the spring. This time around, the Patriots quarterback tells Greg Hill of WEEI that he doesn’t want to wait until the summer to sign a deal. 
“That’s definitely going to go into consideration,” Newton said (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss). “I’m not going to wait in the latter part of another season when I have the opportunity to do something or sign with someone.”
Though no decision has been made, the Patriots are not expected to re-sign Newton. Newton threw for just five touchdowns against ten interceptions, resulting in an NFL-low 78.9 quarterback rating. The Patriots expected more from the former MVP, and they missed the playoffs for the first time in a long time.
Newton may still hold appeal for other teams, given his potential and the dearth of talent at the QB position. Plus, he’s shown he can still be effective with his feet, having rushed 126 times for 513 yards (4.1 YPC average) and 12 TDs. He also stayed healthy – no small feat, given his pre-Patriots history.
No matter where he lands, the 31-year-old has every intention of starting.
“If you are asking me, Do I want to be a backup? Hell no!,” Newton said. “When I look at other teams, and I’m looking at other players play, there have been guys that have been getting away with murder for years because of subpar play. Do I have the right to say that with the year I had this year? No. But I’m going to be honest and say it because that’s what I do.”
Good luck to him, but I don’t think anyone is champing at the bit to sign him. He looked abysmal at times this year. He can still run, but so many of his throws were way short or thrown straight into the ground. Seemed like he lost any accuracy he once had.
At times Newton looked like he was sorta avoiding an injury or something. Maybe Cam felt a single paid season was not enough warrant for giving it all… Who knows!!?
Below average qb, low iq can’t read a defense. Played 15 games had 8 touchdowns 10 picks. Backup at best never a franchise qb
Harsh. He had a rotten season passing but he’s accomplished too much in the league for that level of criticism.
he certainly has value as a gadget guy still.
Welcome to Chicago, Cam.
He will sign with the jets or Jacksonville for cheap, they will give him an opportunity to start and pull him as soon as they think their top QB draft picks are ready.
I could see him as a backup in bmore
I was going to say backup to Russ. Fit well with Seattle and probably better than Geno
Cam can make up for Russ’s lack of personality. KIDDING
I wouldn’t let Cam within 100 yards of a developing QB.
Blake Bortles somehow finds a job every year, so can Cam but he is not the same QB that he was at the moment. Wish him the best
How much has Bortles been getting paid,and how much was Newton expecting to get paid…..that’s where the difference is.One has accepted that they’re a backup,the other thinks he’s still coming off the season he had 5 years ago.
He was lucky to get $1m last year. With those stats and performance, it may be a vet minimum contract this time.
Considering the ten year veteran’s minimum is higher than that figure, I would certainly hope he can secure that much
You’ll be holding the clipboard til the starters hurt Cam…..get used to the thought.
In the right system with some actual WRs and TEs, he might do well. But, he certainly didn’t help his cause in 2020.
Exactly look at who he had for talent around him. That was not fair to Cam at all
Brady didn’t seem to have a problem
he didnt look nearly as good in 2019 ad he did this year
That’s more about Brady being the “GOAT” than a compliment about Pats pass catchers.
Brady accounted for 27 touchdowns with that group in 2019. Newton accounted for 20. Brady obviously is better overall, but it’s not as big a difference as you’d think, especially considering Brady’s familiarity with the offense versus Newton’s.
Brady made it work!
To the 49ers to push Jimmy G, in case they keep him?
Since Garoppolo came to the 49ers,they are 22-8 in games that Garoppolo plays and 7-27 in games that he doesn’t. Jimmy G doesn’t need a ‘push’, the rest of the team does. It’s absurd how much criticism Garoppolo gets. He’s fine and they win when he plays. QB is not San Francisco’s problem.
^ this
A QB that spends more time injured than playing isn’t a problem?
I think not having a camp or pre season really hurt a lot of guys and Cam was one of them. Don’t think he is what he once was but don’t think he will have as bad of a year as he had this year either. I mean, the talent around him was terrible, that’s putting it nicely and he has no camp or pre season after being out a year. Put him on a team Thats just missing a QB and I think he can help them. Not at all saying he will light it up because I don’t think he will but I do think he will do enough and be better than he did this year. His legs alone open up the offense and if he actually had a run game and talent to throw to I can see him bouncing back. I don’t know that he will have teams even interested in him but I hope he doesn’t would like to see him get at least one more chance and actually have time to prepare and have talent around him.
Smart post.
Brady and Rivers didn’t have a camp either and they’re going to the playoffs.
Hey if the Saints make Hill their franchise QB maybe this guy can take over the gadget role with their offense
Cowboys back-up plan
Only way I see Cam back in NE is if they were to release Stidham(would not shock me)and the Pats brought in a new QB plus Cam and had a real competition for the job. Cam did show flashes of vintage Cam. Even though it was against the Jets it looked like he finally won the game vs losing it at the end. With the start he had someone is going to at least let him come in and compete with a young QB. But it may require an injury for Cam to truly get another shot to prove himself. He looked really bad when he was bad but he also had zero weapons. I wouldn’t put my money on him but would like to see him get a few starts somewhere
As Neidenfur said, I see him being the starter for any team drafting a 1st round QB. Offsetting that is the fact that there a couple of quality backups available that might prefer an 8-game starting gig to re-establish some value.
For a guy like Mariota, for example, it might be worth it to take a lower salary, start for 8 games, and then sit down. A good 8-game stretch could land him a real QB opportunity in 2022.
He’s still a hell of an athlete but I just don’t see him being accurate enough to play QB any more. I wonder if he could transition to a Tight end/H-Back roll where he could use his size, legs and athleticism and occasionally a gadget play.
This. I’d sign him as a TE in a New York Minute. Really think he could contribute in that kind of role. I’m sure he doesn’t want to hear it, and, if I were in his shoes, I’d be trying to remain a starting QB until they pulled thar role out of my cold dead hands too. Really think a position change could extend his career and earning potential.
Lol Cam still thinks he’s the man.
“Im not going to wait till the summer” implying he will get a better offer or multiple offers earlier.
“Hell no, I’m not a back up” even tho he threw for 5TDs:10INTs as a 31 year old. Was probably a bottom 5 starter in the league last season
Yes he can move well but he should be looking for a spot to settle and maybe share the QB position. Just like Fitzmagic kinda did this year with Tua.
Cam should look to be the lead vet for a rookie and share the role for a year or two.
Look at his options. Plenty you can read out there about how bad patriots pass catcher options were. In most played he had a blocking TE and blocking Full Back on routes with Harry as slot wr. Give me a break. Patriots did him dirty
How many of his passes were at receiver’s feet? Tattoo from Fantasy Island couldn’t have gotten low enough to catch what he was throwing most of the season.
Depends if the receivers were running the correct routes. Were they too deep in the routes for the play called? Was he given time enough? If not was he basically throwing it away? Not trying to make excuses but just pointing out that may not have been all his fault. Did not see a lot of their games. Just offering a devil’s advocate opinion. You prolly right though.
Let’s see if Riverboat Ron brings him aboard in DC. He checks off a few boxes as he knows the system, is mobile and can throw the ball downfield.
My thinking is Ron didn’t talk to him last year because they had Haskins and they wanted to give him his chance but since he is gone there is an opening. Alex has been a great story and the veteran QB has been the leader they have needed but isn’t mobile enough anymore and will retire. Kyle Allen will not take that team anywhere.
Ron and Cam have some history but Newton isn’t the guy you want if your committed to a rebuilding program. How long could he avoid the IR list behind a turnstile OL that gets you sacked at an 8% rate?
At vet minimum and as an insurance policy and a gadget guy, Newton has potential in DC. Rivera knows what a headcase and showboater Newton is though and probably doesn’t want those issues in what is currently a very workmanlike locker room (no more Josh Norman interviews any more, hurray).
Newton could be a very bad influence on important young players like Chase Young for instance.
He’s got another 2-3 years of being the guy a non-competitive team brings in as a gatekeeper for a young QB they don’t want to throw to the wolves behind a crappy offensive line and without adequate skill position players. After that he’ll have to settle for backup jobs, and I don’t know if he’d be willing to accept that. He was great at his peak, but doubt he’ll ever get back to that level. Washington makes the most sense for him this offseason.
If Rivera would even want him.
One never knows if Rivera had a conversation with him about taking a one year deal and come back and see me next year
His wait might be longer than he anticipates. He looked awful this year but he was a beast in his prime.
Racism is the only reason Cam’s numbers are so low
I don’t even know how to respond to such an ignorant comment, other than to say I’m sure your parents are very proud of what you’ve become
Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
I’m sure he was joking. Meaning racism is blamed for many things. Some justified but some not.
I assume that’s sarcasm?????
Why is he acting like he chose to wait until summer to sign last year? No one wanted him. He signed with the only team that showed interest in him. He’s likely done in the league. Once a super-talented player, but injuries and ego have done him in.
Why was he lucky to get that much and Taysom Hill who had not very good numbers but won games more so because of the Saints defense deserve 10 million a year as a backup QB. Do you some how think he was actually worth 10 million per year and Cam Newton isn’t worth 1 million per year? Backup QBs are paid more than 1 million per year on average and some starters like Alex Smith who put up dismal numbers is worth 20 plus million a year?
He’ll wait if there’s no offer(s). Not like he was bombarded with offers last year.
“Newton may still hold appeal for other teams, given his potential and the dearth of talent at the QB position.”
What dearth of QB talent is there when Andy Dalton and Jameis Winston had to settle for backup positions? When Newton had to settle for the veteran minimal (plus incentives). With Wentz, Stafford, Ryan, Carr, Minshew, and others on the trade block. And newcomers like Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields coming in next year.
Oh god, please no! I’d take Colin K over Cam Newton any day. Cam is an infectious spawn…he’s immature and will never grow up. Russ and Pete may think they can rehabilitate him….but leave that to someone else. It would be a mistake to waste any cap space on him.
This is funny. Like teams will be lining up to sign him right away. What a joke. Dude was just plain bad…..
Newton used this season to remove all the doubt surrounding his foot/shoulder issues. Unfortunately it showed he isn’t the player he once was.
Belichick loves him cheap money !
I wonder, of all the people defending Cam and placing blame on the surrounding cast, how many actually watched a Patriots game this season?
I live in New England and watch every game available to me (The Pats games, the 1pm/4pm/8pm/Mon and Thurs games) and can flat out say Cam is the primary reason for the poor season and his own numbers. Too many times were passes overthrown, underthrown, behind receivers. Poor decision making. It was absolutely brutal to watch.
The defense played well for most of the season, they finished 7th in pts allowed with a tough schedule, Cam couldn’t spark an offense to save his job.
While I wish him the best of luck, I personally don’t want to see him in a Patriots uniform next season, even at backup.
We DEFINITELY need away better QB or it will be another subpar season next year !!!