The New England Patriots made big news Sunday night, signing free agent quarterback Cam Newton to a one-year deal. This was a pairing long hypothesized, as Newton was released by the Carolina Panthers this offseason and Tom Brady left New England for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Newton hasn't played since 2018 due to a serious shoulder injury, and it's unknown (at least publicly) how healthy he really is. But assuming he can return to form, where will be a year from now? There are a few teams that could be in the market for a veteran starter next offseason.

1. Chicago Bears

Mitchell Trubisky has not panned out as hoped after being taken third overall in 2017. The Chicago Bears have already declined his fifth-year option, and they sent a fourth-round pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars for the privilege of getting Nick Foles, a decidedly average QB, at the price of nearly $37 million over the next two seasons.

Foles seems locked in for the next two years at minimum, but if he isn't playing well and head coach Matt Nagy and general manager Ryan Pace are still in Chicago, they might try to buy themselves at least one more year with Newton.

2. Indianapolis Colts

Philip Rivers turns 39 in December and is on a one-year deal. He has shown his age in recent years, especially in 2019, and it's unrealistic to expect him to stick around another season — although it could happen. The Indianapolis Colts have a pretty solid roster overall, and adding Newton could extend their competition window before they have to rebuild once again.

3. Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jacksonville Jaguars were fortunate to be able to jettison Nick Foles' contract, and even got a pretty good draft pick out of it. Second-year man Gardner Minshew now gets the chance to prove himself as a franchise QB after a successful rookie campaign.

Still, things may not go as smoothly in 2020, and if that's the case, the Jaguars cannot afford to bet their future on the former sixth-round pick. If things get bad enough, Jacksonville could be in position to take a top QB in 2021 Draft, and Newton would be a solid bridge QB if the team decides to go that route.

4. New England Patriots

If Cam Newton shows he's back, there's no reason why this marriage can't be a long-term one. Jarrett Stidham has potential, but there's a reason the Pats brought in Newton to begin with.

Stidham will compete with Newton this year, but the franchise was not sold on him as the starter and there was no reason for them to be. The roster is still well-built, especially on defense, and adding Newton (even if he doesn't play at his 2015 MVP level) makes them a playoff-caliber team at worst.

The Buffalo Bills may be better overall, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see New England claim yet another AFC East crown. With Bill Belichick at the helm, and with the most physically talented QB he's coached with the Patriots, it will be a fun season to say the least.