Is There Still a Chance Cam Newton Returns to the Panthers in 2022?
Cam Newton's second stint with the Carolina Panthers didn't go as well as everyone had hoped for. He went 0-5 as the starting quarterback in place of the injured Sam Darnold and then was relieved of his duties as the starter when Darnold returned to action.
The Panthers have a lot to figure out this offseason, particularly at the quarterback position. Darnold's 5th-year option was picked up for $18 million prior to the start of the 2021 season meaning he will be under contract through next season. I don't see there being much trade value for him and even if the Panthers do find a trade partner, they will have to pay a large amount of what is owed to him and get very little in return. With that said, it makes the most sense to just place the focus on rebuilding the offensive line and gut out one more season with Darnold at the helm. If he doesn't improve behind a better line, than you can move on from him after next season and not owe him a dime.
As for Cam Newton, the future remains unclear. P.J. Walker was re-signed to a one-year deal worth the league minimum on Monday but that doesn't rule out a potential return Newton. Head coach Matt Rhule raved about Newton's work ethic to the media on Monday and said he would love to have him if it were up to him.
"Cam has a level of buy-in, investment, work ethic that from my time in the NFL I haven't seen many guys like him. That's the beauty of having Cam Newton in your organization is that he raises the level of everyone around him. He is going to push everyone because he's not afraid of what people think. I'll just say this, for Matt Rhule, I would have Cam Newton on my team forever, at any place I coached because of what he brings. The business part of it, the money, the negotiations, I can't speak to that. I can't speculate about the future, I'm just talking about my personal feelings for him, he's a winner. I don't know if you can ever have enough winners, enough alphas, enough leaders in the building. We'll have to wait and see what happens."
General manager Scott Fitterer was also asked if he would have any interest in bringing Cam back and although he didn't commit one way or another, he left the door open for it to happen.
"I had a good talk with Cam this morning. What we are going to do is sit back and kind of evaluate the position, we need to see about the OC. But the one thing about Cam is, like, I had this view of him from the outside and to meet him, I have never been more impressed with a player. His leadership and what he did during a really tough time. You know, we were all over the place at quarterback with the injuries and different things and even after some of those tough days in the locker room after a loss, Cam brought the energy every day. He showed leadership. Like I told him, I was really impressed with him as a person. So yes, I think we're open to it. We'll have to see what he's thinking, what we're thinking, and how it all fits together."
As for Newton, he's not 100% sure of what he wants to do yet considering the season ended no less than two days ago. When the Panthers released him back in 2020, he waited it out until the perfect opportunity arose. He signed late with the New England Patriots to a one-year deal and lead them to a 7-8 record in 15 starts. Newton has come to the realization that the market for him to be a starter is no longer as broad as it once was. However, there are a number of teams that would benefit from having him on their roster and in the locker room in a backup role. As far as Cam is concerned, he's okay with that as long as it's in a winning situation.
“Selfishly, the question can be kind of directed towards, do you think I can play? Yes, I still do think I can play at a high level, absolutely," Newton said. "But if an opportunity presents itself where I don’t necessarily need to play and it’s about winning, yeah, I’m willing to do that, too. Because this point forward, I’m not coming back for no 5-12. I’ll tell you that now. Winning makes everything better. So to what degree I’m willing to do — whether being the starter or not — if it’s about winning, I’m with it. And then if it’s not, then I won’t hitch my wagon to it.”
Do I see Cam returning to Carolina? No, I really don't. He wants to be somewhere where he is assured to be in a winning situation. Although the Panthers should turn the corner next year, there is no guarantee. At age 32, Newton doesn't have much football left in front of him. Well, I should say he has more football behind him than he does left ahead and when you get to this point in your career, you want to win a Super Bowl. The window for Carolina to be a Super Bowl contending team hasn't started yet and it may not in the next couple of years. Even though the Panthers seem interested in having Newton return, I would expect him to be in a different uniform come next August.
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