Ron Rivera says the Redskins were Never Interested in Cam Newton
Cam Newton is now officially a free agent as the Panthers released him Tuesday afternoon but he continues to find it rather difficult to find a new home in a dwindling quarterback market this offseason. Teams around the league have made decisions at quarterback that don’t include the former MVP, including the Washington Redskins where former Panthers head coach Ron Rivera is now running the show.
In an interview on WFNZ Sports Radio in Charlotte on Tuesday, Ron Rivera was asked if the Redskins were ever interested in Newton.
Rivera said Washington never showed interest in his former quarterback.
“We have a young football team with a young quarterback. We have a chance to establish this. Where we are right now we have made a commitment to young guys,” Rivera said.
The Redskins traded for former Panthers quarterback Kyle Allen Monday afternoon, sending a fifth-round pick back to the Panthers. With Allen and 2019 first-round pick, Dwayne Haskins, on the roster, it makes sense why the Redskins would not sign Newton as they appear to be invested in Haskins.
Newton would inevitably bring in a lot of media attention surrounding constant chatter of when he would start if Haskins had a bad stretch of games. That is an unhealthy environment for a young quarterback and the Redskins obviously understand that.
A better alternative for Newton is to find a team where he has a legitimate chance to start. The remaining options are slim as the only remaining team with a need for a starting quarterback are the Dolphins - who are heavily reported to select Tua Tagovailoa with the fifth overall pick in April’s draft - and the Patriots, who apparently are not interested in Newton.
Unfortunately for Newton, the reality is that he will sign with a team with the belief that he’s going to start the season as a backup. He will be entering training camp without a secured starting job looking to create a quarterback competition.
Newton reportedly has passed a physical with both his shoulder and foot “checking out well,” according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. A clean healthy slate will be beneficial for Newton’s chances to sign with a new team as he is supposedly “hungrier than ever,” following his release from the Panthers.
What do you think of the Panthers’ decision to move on from Cam Newton? Which team do you think eventually signs Cam? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below and discuss it with fellow Panther fans!
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