The Panthers killed Cam Newton’s trade value Tuesday by forfeiting their leverage
There was a lot to take in Tuesday for the Carolina Panthers.
First, the team announced that it would allow franchise quarterback Cam Newton to seek a trade with other teams. Then Newton replied to the team’s announcement on Instagram, indicating that the Panthers were the ones who initiated the trade conversation.
Next, as the Observer reported, the Panthers finalized a deal with Saints quarterback Teddy Bridgewater to take over the starting role in Carolina.
Teams have known Newton was available for a trade. For a variety of reasons, including the uncertainty surrounding Newton’s health, what market is left for the Panthers to trade him?
Every team in the NFL has known that on top of Newton being available in a trade with the Panthers, that the team has no interest in him being on the roster in 2020 — the team’s Twitter account thanking him for everything over the past nine years only publicly reinforced that message. They won’t keep two quarterbacks each with salaries north of $20 million a year.
If the Panthers cut Newton, they only take a cap hit of $2 million. And that’s where things appear to be heading.
There are a handful of teams that would make sense for Newton’s next destination. The Chargers are in need of a flashy quarterback for their new stadium. And if you haven’t heard, the Patriots have a bit of a hole to fill. Two quarterback-needy teams, Tampa Bay and Indianapolis, added their 2020 starters Tuesday in Tom Brady and Philip Rivers, respectively.
But if you are a team that might be interested in Newton, why would you offer the Panthers much of anything in return? Trading him is going to be difficult due to lingering questions about his health, only to be made more complicated by teams being unable to bring him into their facility (until at least March 31) nor visit him due to travel restrictions by the NFL because of the new coronavirus.
In addition to the uncertainty surrounding an up-to-date physical, he has just one year left on his contract and will be looking for an extension.
All 31 other teams have known that the Panthers are looking to get rid of Newton. Carolina has its next quarterback in place and will be forced to cut Newton if no one trades for him.
A team could trade for him — it’s not completely unrealistic. But at this point, why give anything up to sign him if he’s already on his way out of Charlotte?
This story was originally published March 18, 2020 at 6:00 AM.
