Cam Newton’s NFL future is very much uncertain.
Newton currently is on a one-year deal with the New England Patriots, who signed the veteran quarterback roughly three months after he was cut by the Carolina Panthers. It hasn’t been a stellar season for the 2015 NFL MVP, but it’s near certainty he’ll have a job in the league in 2021.
Where might that gig be? Pro Football Focus believes Newton will latch on with a team that could be in need of a stop-gap signal-caller: the Bengals. PFF predicts Cincinnati will sign Newton to a fully guaranteed one-year, $20 million contract in free agency.
Newton, of course, wouldn’t be a long-term fit with the Bengals. Cincinnati appears to have hit a home run with Joe Burrow, who was putting together an impressive rookie campaign before he sustained a season-ending knee injury. Considering the severity of Burrow’s injury, which included ACL and MCL tears among other damage, the Bengals might elect to take it slow and play it safe with the face of their franchise. This could open a door for a QB like Newton, whose opportunities to be a starter, even temporarily, probably won’t be aplenty come spring.
That said, Newton seemingly can boost his stock over the final quarter-plus of this season. If the 31-year-old lights it up and the Patriots manage to sneak into the playoffs, Newton’s market could become fairly robust.
