Panthers Open Up About Cam Newton’s Future
The Panthers opened up about Cam Newton’s future recently.
Carolina has a big decision to make in the coming months. Clearly the organization is attempting to start anew.
It began with the in-season firing of Ron Rivera last season. It continued with the hiring of highly sought after Baylor head coach Matt Rhule.
Rhule kept the process going by bringing in LSU offensive guru Joe Brady to be his coordinator.
Then the team let respected veteran tight end Greg Olsen walk, signaling that it was time for a change.
The Panthers very clearly want to start a new chapter. The question now is: will Newton be a part of it?
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Newton has made it abundantly clear that he wants to return to Carolina in 2020.
That said, NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport suggested not long ago that the team was considering moving on.
According to Rapoport, management wants Newton to heal up, and then wants to trade him to a different organization.
This week, team general manager Marty Hurney was asked about how Newton’s recover was progressing and what the plan is for him after that.
Hurney kept his cards close to the vest.
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“He’s rehabbing, that’s all I can say,” he said.
When pressed on what precisely that meant for Newton’s future, Hurney refused to divulge details.
No matter how many times he was pressed on what the plan for Newton was, Hurney would not budge.
Newton is currently in the last year of his deal. If he and Carolina go their separate ways, the latter party would save $19 million in salary cap room. That is a lot of incentivization to move on.
Publicly, Newton has repeatedly stated that he wants to remain in Carolina until he retires. Privately, however, he has acknowledged that the math may make that impossible.
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According to sources close to Newton, he would reportedly be okay with a trade to a team like the Chicago Bears. Someone close to title contention who is just one quality veteran quarterback presence away.
Obviously a lot of this is predicated on Newton’s health. In order for him to have value in a prospective trade, he needs to able to play.
But presuming the recovery goes well. And assuming he is healthy going into 2020. Don’t be surprised if Newton is ultimately wearing a different jersey come the trade deadline of next season.
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A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
