Updated Odds Reflect Jaguars Are No Longer a Favorite to Sign Cam Newton
Up until just one month ago, the Jacksonville Jaguars were labeled by most as one of the favorites to eventually sign free agent quarterback Cam Newton. But now it appears oddsmakers have begun to change their tunes.
After months of speculation, and even some campaigning from Warren Moon and Leonard Fournette, the Jaguars are no longer considered among the favorites to sign Newton according to updated odds released from BetOnline.
In newly released odds from BetOnline, the Jaguars were given 12/1 odds to be the team Newton is signed to during Week 1 of the 2020 NFL season, tied for 10th among teams. For comparison, the Jaguars had the third-best odds from BetOnline to sign Newton on May 1 at 9/2.
The teams directly in front of the Jaguars in the updated odds are New England (4/1), Washington (7/1), Tennessee (8/1), Arizona (9/1), Pittsburgh (9/1), Baltimore (10/1), Las Vegas (10/1), Los Angeles Rams (10/1), and Seattle (10/1). Tied with the Jaguars in odds are Denver and Detroit, each at 12/1.
Jacksonville has added two quarterbacks to its roster in the last seven weeks, indicating the team is set to move forward with Gardner Minshew II as the starter in 2020 and with a non-Newton quarterback as his backup.
In the sixth round of this year's NFL Draft, the Jaguars selected Oregon State quarterback Jake Luton (No. 189 overall). A few weeks later, Jacksonville signed former Buccaneers, Bears, and Raiders quarterback Mike Glennon to serve as the veteran presence in the quarterback room. Add in Minshew and fourth-year backup Josh Dobbs and the Jaguars have a quarterback room that is already filled to the brim.
“We liked his size, we liked his release, his arm strength. Bigger body. And we really liked the way he threw the ball at the NFLPA game, at the all-star game he was at. We felt like he has got some upside," Jaguars general manager Dave Caldwell said after Luton was drafted.
"He is 6’6”, 200-and 40 some odd pounds, and moves well in the pocket. We just felt like with those traits and what he could offer that he could come in and compete for a spot on this roster.
Newton has started 124 regular season games in his career and compiled a 68-55-1 record in nine seasons in Carolina. In that span, Newton completed 59.6% of his passes for 29,041 yards and 182 touchdowns with 108 interceptions. The three-time Pro Bowl quarterback also rushed 934 times for 4,806 yards and 58 touchdowns.
In seven playoff games, including a Super Bowl appearance in 2015, Newton went 3-4 and completed 59.8% of his passes for 1,821 yards, 10 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He also rushed 63 times for 258 yards and two touchdowns in the postseason.
Meanwhile, Minshew has had a far different start to his career in comparison to Newton. While Newton was the first player selected in the 2011 NFL Draft, Minshew was a sixth-round pick for the Jaguars in 2019 and only became a starter last season due to a Week 1 injury to Nick Foles.
Minshew ended up going 6-6 as a starter in 2019, completing 60.6% of his passes for 3,271 yards with 21 touchdowns and six interceptions. He also rushed 67 times for 344 yards, becoming a dual-threat for a stagnant Jaguars' offense.
