Cam Newton has found a new NFL home. It's the same one he occupied for his first nine pro seasons.
Newton agreed to terms Thursday with the Carolina Panthers, reuniting him with the team that drafted him first overall in 2011.
The signing came after Newton reportedly met Thursday morning with Panthers head coach Matt Rhule, owner David Tepper and vice president of football operations Stephen Drummond. The sides evidently resolved any lingering animosity from Newton's messy exit from Carolina last offseason.
Newton's contract is a one-year deal through the end of this season, according to multiple reports. NFL Media's Ian Rapoport shared the details: up to $10 million in salary with $4.5 million guaranteed and a $1.5 million roster bonus.
The veteran quarterback spent the 2020 season with the New England Patriots, starting 15 games for a team that finished 7-9. He lost a training camp battle to rookie Mac Jones this past summer and subsequently was released.
Though the Patriots' offense struggled during Newton's tenure, the 2015 NFL MVP was a well-liked figure in New England's locker room and quickly established himself as a team leader. Patriots running back James White celebrated his Panthers signing on social media.
It took 10 weeks for Newton to land with a new team after his Patriots release. During that period, he reportedly turned down offers from the Seattle Seahawks and Houston Texans.
In Carolina, Newton joins an unsettled quarterback room that will be without struggling starter Sam Darnold for the next four to six weeks. P.J. Walker is expected to start Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals, with Matt Barkley backing him up after being signed off Tennessee's practice squad this week.
While it's unrealistic to expect Newton to play this week, he could make his return to the field next Sunday against Ron Rivera's Washington Football Team. Rivera was Newton's head coach for the entirety of his first Panthers stint.
Newton narrowly missed a chance to face his other former team, as the Panthers lost to the Patriots 24-6 this past Sunday. Darnold threw three interceptions in that loss, including a pick-six.
