From 2011 to 2018, Cam Newton was one of the most exciting quarterbacks in the league. In his nine years with the Carolina Panthers, he was their all-time leading passer and took Carolina to the playoffs four times. In 2015, Cam was the best player in the league, won MVP, and led the Panthers to the Super Bowl. I would say he is on track to be a Hall of Famer, but obviously it will depend on how the rest of his career turns out. In 2019, he only played two games for the Panthers due to injury, and with new head coach Matt Rhule coming in for 2020 and beyond it was time for the Panthers and Cam to move on from each other.
In my opinion here are the three best landing spots for Cam:
Los Angeles Chargers: The Chargers would be a good option for Cam. Although it seems like the Chargers want to get a young QB in the draft, they can do both. I don’t think Cam would be a long term fit with the Chargers, but he could dramatically improve their chances to make the playoffs next year and still draft a young QB for the future. The Chargers have a lot of offensive weapons in Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Hunter Henry and Austin Ekeler. Also, the Chargers are opening their new SoFi Stadium with the Rams in 2020, so being able to attract fans is important with big name players. Finally, Cam’s big personality would fit perfectly in LA. The Chargers would not have to pay too much, and could be a low-risk high-reward situation. Although I view this as a good option, I don’t think he will ultimately end up there. Anthony Lynn and their front office seem set on Tyrod Taylor as the starter and will try to draft a young QB.
New England Patriots: It’s no secret that the Patriots QB situation took a massive hit when the G.O.A.T. and six-time World Champion Tom Brady departed for Tampa. Personally, I find it hard to believe that the Patriots will be rolling with Jarret Stidham and Brian Hoyer as their QBs in 2020. Bill Belichick wants to prove to the world that he can win without Tom Brady, and vice versa. The Patriots still have a good team on offense, with Julian Edelman, Mo Sanu, N’Keal Harry, Sony Michel and James White. Cam and Tom play two totally different styles, but I think Belichick would be excited to build around a QB who can run and throw and who is mobile. This would also be a great opportunity for Cam to learn from one of the best coaches of all time, and be in a championship or bust franchise. You would definitely see Cam mature and become a better player out of it. Although I think this is a good option, I still do not see it happening as the Patriots don’t seem to be too interested at the moment, although things can change.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Although I would much rather see Cam in LA or New England, this pick might surprise some. I’m going out on somewhat of a limb and predicting Cam Newton will be a Jaguar in 2020. Newton’s options are limited, especially since it seems like the Chargers and Patriots won’t sign him for now. He could go to the Redskins and reunite with old coach Ron Rivera, but it doesn’t make much sense for Washington as they are rebuilding. I think Cam wants to start wherever he goes and not go to a terrible team. Although the Jags are preparing to start second-year QB Gardner Minshew, I think competition would be good for Minshew and maybe another year backing up and watching Cam could be beneficial for him. The Jags also have some good weapons on offense including Leonard Fournette, DJ Chark and a couple other decent WRs. They would have a strong running game with Cam and Fournette and Cam still has the ability to throw downfield. This would increase the Jaguars playoff chances after a disappointing 2019 season. Currently, I feel like this is Cam’s best/most realistic landing spot to start and contribute on a good team. Even though they just traded another veteran Nick Foles, I think the Jags would be open to giving Cam a shot.
Those are my three best landing spots for Cam Newton currently. Things can change in the coming days/weeks, but for now I think he will be a Jaguar in 2020. Let us know where you think Cam will end up!
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