Stephen A. Smith Rips Panthers for How They Handled Cam Newton's Departure

There has been a wide range of reactions following Cam Newton’s release from the Carolina Panthers. After the team failed to find a trade partner for Newton, due to health concerns, the team’s only remaining option was the cut the former MVP.

In a recent episode of ESPN’s First Take, Stephen A. Smith voiced his disapproval for how the Panthers dealt with Cam Newton’s departure, specifically the time it took to ultimately release Newton.

“Cam Newton got screwed over by the Carolina Panthers because of the amount of time it took for them to let him go,” Stephen A. Smith said. “They put him in this position. He’d be on another team already if they had let him go earlier.”

Even prior to being released, teams around the NFL refused to give up any assets for Cam Newton. Being unable to hold private workouts to showcase that he was healthy did not work in his favor. Former Panthers’ quarterback Kyle Allen was traded to the Washington Redskins for a fifth-round pick and Newton was unable to dust up any sort of return.

Teams refusing to give up any assets in exchange for Newton perfectly illustrated the consensus around the league surrounding the uncertainty of Cam’s health. He’s faced back-to-back injury-ridden seasons, injuring his right throwing shoulder in 2018 and having season-ending foot surgery that limited him to just two starts in 2019.

Following Cam’s release, teams around the league with needs at quarterback continued to go in different directions that did not include Newton. The market has dwindled for Cam but there are still a few teams that have holes at the quarterback position. Stephen A. went on to say that the Los Angeles Chargers should be the team to sign Newton.

“I know [the Chargers] have Tyrod Taylor, but the bottom line is Cam is Cam and he deserves this opportunity. You’ve been stuck with Philip Rivers all of these years who couldn’t move… Last time we checked when [Cam] was was healthy, he was completing 67 percent of his passes. The Chargers should grab him.”

The Chargers have the sixth overall pick in next week’s NFL Draft and have been projected to select either Justin Herbert or Tua Tagovailoa. It would not be wise for the Chargers to carry all three of Newton, Taylor, and one of the aforementioned quarterbacks from the draft.

There are still a few options on the table for Newton that include the New England Patriots, who currently have just two quarterbacks on their roster after cutting Cody Kessler, and the Jacksonville Jaguars, who just traded Nick Foles and are left with 2019 rookie sensation Gardner Minshew.

It will be wise Cam Newton to wait until the conclusion of the NFL Draft when he will have a better idea of where his best chance of securing a starting job will be. Most teams are likely on the same page and it is wise for both sides to wait it out and examine how things shape up at the end of the month.

There is no question that when Cam Newton is fully healthy he is surely talented enough to be a starting quarterback in the NFL. He may just have to wait to prove to teams that he’s fully recovered and ready to step into any role - even if that’s not having a guaranteed starting job going into training camp which is likely his current reality.

Do you think the Panthers handled the end of the Cam Newton saga correctly? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below and connect with other Panthers fans!

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