On Mar. 24, 2020, the Carolina Panthers released Cam Newton, clearing $19.1 million in cap space. Newton became a cap casualty on a rebuilding football team, which is understandable.
What isn't understandable is why the veteran quarterback remains a free agent more than two months after his release.
The Panthers selected Newton with the first overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. The Auburn product entered the league and smashed several rookie records. He also began the long process of digging Carolina out of the basement of the NFC South.
By his third season, Newton had Carolina sitting atop the division with a 12-4 record. He led the Panthers to two other ten-win seasons during his nine years with the team, including a 15-1 Super Bowl run in 2015. To add to his list of accomplishments, Newton also won the league MVP that year. Unfortunately, Von Miller and the Denver Broncos prevented Carolina from capturing its first Lombardi Trophy.
Now, almost five years removed from that magical run, Cam Newton remains the biggest name on the free agent market. The former superstar only appeared in two games this past season before landing on injured reserve with a foot injury. While he tried to rehab the injury, Newton did eventually undergo surgery.
That is the biggest excuse for why Newton remains unsigned. Analysts and fans speculate that teams can't bring in the 31-year-old quarterback for a proper physical or examination.
Well, it didn't take Tom Brady very long to get a physical done when he decided to sign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. According to Fox Sports' Jay Glazer, the injury-prone Rob Gronkowski also took a physical for Tampa Bay.
If NFL teams want to sign a player, they find ways to get around any travel restrictions or social distancing issues. Which begs the question, have teams really tried or even entertained the idea of adding Newton? It doesn't seem so.
The New York Jets recently agreed to a one-year deal with veteran quarterback Joe Flacco. While the move makes a lot of sense for New York, it demonstrates how hypocritical the national media has been with its coverage of Newton.
According to ESPN's Rich Cimini, Flacco underwent surgery for a herniated disk in April. He won't be cleared for contact until late August or early September. At 35 years old, Flacco is facing a longer rehab than Newton, with less gas left in the tank, and yet he still signed a new contract first.
Cam Newton is also only two years removed from the second-best season of his career. In 2018, he completed 67.9% of his pass attempts for 24 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 14 games. If Newton can match those numbers in 2020, he could easily start for several teams.
Jarrett Stidham holds the top spot on New England's depth chart this offseason. In Washington, Kyle Allen and Dwayne Haskins will battle for the starting spot. Nick Foles and Mitchell Trubisky will also clash in Chicago. Newton could walk in and immediately start in any of those scenarios.
Newton should be on an NFL roster right now. Maybe he wants more money than teams are willing to pay. Maybe he's waiting for a starting job to open. However, the former MVP deserves a contract and another shot at a starting job.
And some of the excuses people create for teams not signing the former Panther are simply ridiculous.
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