Cam Newton’s days with the Panthers appear to be numbered.
Carolina on Tuesday placed the veteran quarterback, who’s been dealing with a Lisfranc injury in his left foot, on injured reserve. Considering how the franchise has fared with Kyle Allen under center, coupled with Newton’s contract situation, it wouldn’t be shocking if the Panthers moved on from the 30-year-old in the offseason.
The Newton rumor mill has yet to really take shape, but Stephen A. Smith already has his eye on one team as a potential suitor for the three-time Pro Bowl selection.
“…They’re (Panthers) flowing without Cam Newton, and I got news for you: I think there’s somebody else that needs Cam Newton more desperately than the Carolina Panthers,” Smith said Wednesday on ESPN’s “First Take.” “You know who I think that team is? I think it is the Chicago Bears. I think that the Chicago Bears should trade for Cam Newton. They need somebody with that moxie, they need somebody with that athletic ability, they need somebody with heart. They don’t need somebody that’s still recovering from being booed on draft night or shortly thereafter when he went to the United Center in Chicago. Mitchell Trubisky, the No. 2 overall pick, was soundly booed by the crowd there because he’s not who they wanted. They wanted a Deshaun Watson. You got a guy that’s still trying to prove himself and recover from all of that. I’m not trying to be disrespectful to Mitchell Trubisky, I’m just calling it like I see it. The mental make up that he seems to have does not seem to be made for Chicago. I think somebody like Cam would be better. I think he needs a fresh start. I think Carolina already has it with Kyle Allen, you roll with that. I would trade Cam Newton to the Chicago Bears.”
After a respectable sophomore season, Trubisky has been underwhelming thus far in the 2019 campaign. The 25-year-old, who’s only completed 63 percent of his passes, has thrown for five touchdowns to three interceptions through seven games. The Bears, obviously, are powered by their defense, but there’s warranted cause for concern in Chicago over how anemic the Trubisky-led offense has been.
As such, the Bears will need to decide this offseason if they see a future with Trubisky and if they believe he’s capable of leading the team through a deep playoff run. If the answer to those questions is “no,” a trade for Newton certainly would be worth looking into.
