For most teams across the NFL, it’s easy to understand why they’ve chosen not to sign Cam Newton, especially amid the coronavirus pandemic that’s starkly altered the offseason.
That said, Greg Jennings cannot understand why the Chargers said no thanks to the 2015 NFL MVP.
After parting ways with Philip Rivers, Los Angeles last month drafted who it hopes to be its next franchise quarterback in Justin Herbert. Herbert joined a signal-caller depth chart that includes career journeyman Tyrod Taylor, as well as 2019 fifth-rounder Easton Stick.
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Jennings seems to understand Herbert is the future in LA, but he believes Newton would have been a great option to bridge the gap.
“…If you took all four of these quarterbacks and they didn’t have a team and they were in a draft together, you would not select any one of these quarterbacks over Cam Newton,” Jennings said Tuesday on FS1’s “First Things First. “That’s the problem and the issue that I have with it. I don’t care if Tyrod Taylor is on your roster or Easton Stick is already on your roster and they have a rapport with the coaching staff. That means nothing when you can upgrade and you can get a better quality, proven individual at the quarterback position to run your offense. It doesn’t make sense to me.
“I don’t know what’s going on with this whole Cam Newton situation. I don’t know where he is gonna end up. I hope he ends up somewhere this year. But the Chargers could’ve definitely gotten better had they acquired Cam Newton and given themselves a shot to potentially be the team that tops off the Kansas City Chiefs in that division, or gives them a run for their money.”
"If Cam Newton, Tyrod Taylor, Easton Stick & Justin Herbert were in a draft together you wouldn't select any of these QBs over Cam. … The Chargers could've gotten better had they acquired Cam & given themselves a shot to potentially knock off the Chiefs." — @GregJennings pic.twitter.com/cjHCfZ98cz
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) May 19, 2020
Bolts head coach Anthony Lynn acknowledged his team looked into Newton this offseason, though the powers that be in Los Angeles ultimately decided they felt “really good” about the franchise’s QB situation. Lynn, of course, isn’t going to undermine his players, but it’s tough to make the argument that either Taylor or Stick are a superior option to Newton.
As for where the 31-year-old could end up, Jennings, for one, still isn’t ruling out the New England Patriots.
