NFL Fans Make Guesses About Cam Newton’s Next Team

Tuesday afternoon, the Carolina Panthers put an end to the questions surrounding Cam Newton and him possibly returning from a foot injury during the regular season. The team placed him on Injured Reserve and guaranteed that he will be absent for the final eight games. Although he could return for the playoffs if the Panthers secure a spot.

Now that he is on IR, what does this mean for the former first overall pick and his future with the team? Newton is due $18.6 million in base salary for the 2020 season, but this money is not guaranteed. Instead, the Panthers could opt to part ways with the former league MVP if they feel that Allen is a better choice moving forward.

Of course, the news of Newton landing on Injured Reserve, as well as his contract details, has made it possible that he could be playing for a different team next season. This also becomes slightly more likely considering that there are many QB-needy teams that would possibly be willing to trade for his services.

With this in mind, Field Yates of ESPN set out to determine if Newton would actually be suiting up for a different team next season. He posted the question on social media and was immediately greeted with hundreds of responses. Some fans wanted to see Newton in an orange and black jersey while others felt that a darker shade of blue would befit his skillset.

(Photo Credit: Jacob Kupferman/Getty)

Pittsburgh Steelers

When the question was posed about Cam Newton’s future, there were some teams that immediately came to mind. For example, everyone expected the Chicago Bears to be the top choice. However, one fan expressed the desire to bring Cam Newton to the AFC North. 

With the veteran in Ben Roethlisberger injured and perennially contemplating his future, it’s unclear as to if the two-time Super Bowl champion will make a return. To combat his potential departure and replace the backups in Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges, one fan wants Newton to step into Pittsburgh and lead the Steelers to the playoffs. 

Chicago Bears

Is Cam Newton leaving the Panthers and joining a new team? With this question, fans of football in the Windy City perked up and began to grow hopeful for the future. The second overall pick from 2017 in Mitch Trubisky has not worked out as anticipated, and the Bears fans are ready for a change. 

Considering that this defense has been impressive overall despite a slight step back from the 2018 form, there are many fans that believe a change at quarterback would take this team to the next level. In this instance, they would like to see Newton making big plays at Soldier Field. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Midway through the 2019 campaign, the belief is that one of the QB-needy teams in the offseason will be the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Former first overall pick Jameis Winston is in the final year of his rookie deal and is expected to be a free agent at the end of the season. In his previous four seasons, Winston was inconsistent as a starter but was expected to make the proverbial leap under new head coach Bruce Arians in year five. 

This leap in production has not taken place while Winston has continued to throw interceptions at a rapid rate. His future with the Buccaneers is unclear, especially after his salary jumped to nearly $21 million as part of his fifth-year option. Newton, on the other hand, has been far more consistent throughout his NFL career and has led some very productive offenses. 

Cincinnati Bengals

Last week, the Cincinnati Bengals made headlines when they benched longtime starter Andy Dalton and put rookie Ryan Finley into the starting lineup. When the Ohio-based franchise returns to action in week 10, the youngster will be in charge of leading this offense. However, there are some that aren’t convinced that Finley will find success. 

While there are some fans that can’t envision Newton finding success against the Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Cleveland Browns, there are others that believe he would be a good choice for the Bengals. In fact, there were multiple comments that called for Newton to head to Cincinnati. 

New England Patriots

While there were many expected options for Newton, such as the Bears and Bengals, there were other fans that wanted to throw out more surprising destinations. For example, more than a few said that the Panthers QB could be heading to the New England Patriots. Tom Brady is 42 years old and could be retiring in the near future.

Bill Belichick did recently draft another backup that could be the future starter in fourth-round pick Jarrett Stidham. However, he is currently third on the depth chart behind journeyman Cody Kessler. If Brady were to walk way from the NFL or even leave New England for another team, would Stidham be ready to step in and lead this offense? 

Denver Broncos

For two consecutive seasons, the Denver Broncos have brought a new quarterback to town in order to find a top option that can lead them back to the Promised Land. This strategy worked when Peyton Manning was in town, but adding both Case Keenum and Joe Flacco in back-to-back seasons backfired. The Broncos also haven’t been able to find a consistent option through the draft after missing on the Paxton Lynch pick and watching Drew Lock head to Injured Reserve. 

With general manager John Elway potentially looking for a quarterback once again, the fans could see him taking a chance on Cam Newton. The AFC West is full of teams that give up big plays on a regular basis in the Raiders, the Chiefs, and the Chargers, and many believe that Newton could shine in this offense. 

Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins made a change to the quarterback room last year when they traded for Josh Rosen and signed journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick. However, it appears that this team isn’t dedicated to this strategy. Many believe that the Dolphins are clearly tanking for one of the top college quarterbacks, and they think that this would open up a new opportunity for Newton.

If the Dolphins do indeed draft a signal-caller from Oregon, Alabama, or Clemson, would they be willing to risk putting him into the starting lineup? The entire team needs new bodies at every position, including the offensive line, so there is a risk of injury. Instead, the fans would prefer to see the Dolphins bring Newton to town and have him serve as the bridge guy that can help out the draft pick.