Los Angeles Chargers Trading For Cam Newton?
Are the Los Angeles Chargers trading for Cam Newton? The likelihood of it happening seems to be increasing.
Heading into the offseason, it was clear that the Chargers and Philip Rivers were going their separate ways. Surely enough, last week both parties announced that after 16 years together they were mutually splitting up.
“After stepping back a bit from last season, we reconnected with Philip and his representatives to look at how 2019 played out, assess our future goals, evaluate the current state of the roster and see if there was a path forward that made sense for both parties,” Chargers GM Tom Telesco said in a statement.
“As we talked through various scenarios, it became apparent that it would be best for Philip and the Chargers to turn the page on what has truly been a remarkable run.
“We agreed that making this decision well before free agency would allow everyone to put themselves in the best position for success in 2020,” he continued.
“I’ve said before that Philip can still compete at a top-starter level and, in a perfect world, number 17 is your quarterback forever.
“Obviously, we live in an imperfect world where the only constant is change. I think Philip’s tremendous perspective, both when it comes to football and when it comes to life, helped lend clarity to a very complex situation.”
Rivers’ departure leaves a void at quarterback for Los Angeles.
Obviously the team has been linked in recent weeks to soon-to-be unrestricted free agent Tom Brady. However, is it unclear how legitimate the rumors of his interest in the franchise actually are.
If he returns to the New England Patriots next year, LA’s options are limited. Obviously the team could draft a quarterback, or current backup Tyrod Taylor may be given the nod.
“Tyrod Taylor is a heck of a quarterback,” head coach Anthony Lynn said.
“We couldn’t have a better backup right now, and now he has an opportunity to maybe step up into a starting role. I’ve had Tyrod before, and I know what this young man brings to the table, in the passing game and the running game.”
One other interesting prospect is Newton.
According to NBC Sports NFL insider Peter King, Newton may be the perfect piece to put in Rivers’ place next season.
In his estimation, the ideal scenario would involve Los Angeles selecting a young quarterback in the draft and then trading for Newton so that the young quarterback could develop for a year or two.
That way the Chargers get a somewhat splashy name to draw crowds for a couple of seasons, all the while grooming their future franchise passer in the shadows.
The Carolina Panthers have made it abundantly clear over the past few weeks that they have no interest in retaining Newton. New head coach Matt Rhule wants to start fresh with his own guys, and Newton is the lone remaining piece standing in the way of that.
A few months ago, NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport reported that Carolina plans to let Newton recover, then trade him.
If that all goes according to plan, look for the Chargers to be the odds-on favorites to put together a strong trade offer for the former MVP.
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Michael Kyaw, initially a PR Manager, built up a valuable network of connections in the sports world that he then utilized to become an influential sports business reporter. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, Fansided, ESPN and the Wall Street Journal.
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Bullshit we dont need him tyrods the man