Cam Newton being cut for a second straight year might produce another lengthy free-agency stay. Neither the Cowboys nor Washington appear to be interested in adding the former MVP.
Following Newton’s New England exit, Ron Rivera said a reunion with the eight-plus-year Panthers starting quarterback popped up on his radar. But the second-year Washington HC was quick to indicate Ryan Fitzpatrick is his starter, via Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post. Rivera added Washington will move forward with Fitz, Taylor Heinicke and Kyle Allen. Dallas followed suit, with Mike McCarthy adding the Cowboys are “pleased with the group” they have, via NFL.com’s Andrew Siciliano.
The Cowboys cut Garrett Gilbert and Ben DiNucci this week but claimed former Panthers third-round pick Will Grier, who joins Cooper Rush as Dallas’ QBs behind Dak Prescott. Considering Prescott’s season-ending ankle injury and the shoulder issue that emerged early in this year’s camp, the Cowboys having a proven backup would make sense. It just does not seem like they want to add Newton.
During an appearance on 105.3 The Fan (via Pro Football Talk), when asked if he spoke with Bill Belichick about Newton, owner Jerry Jones said:
“You know, most people in the NFL that are even in the personnel area I think have Cam Newton evaluated, and his pluses and his minus. You know, [former Cowboys OC] Norv Turner did a great job … when he was coordinator [in Carolina] with Cam Newton. So, I think he’s no secret as to what he does and does well.
“And of course he was basically able to be evaluated if you want to look at it playing games and results and all of that as an evaluation. Cam Newton is not playing because everybody has evaluated it and they’re making a decision. … We were very, very easy to evaluate Cam.”
Newton, 32, lost the Patriots’ QB1 job to Mac Jones and is not only coming off a rough 2020 season but a general decline over the past several years. The 2015 MVP ranked 29th in cumulative Total QBR from 2016-19; a foot injury capped the last of those seasons at two games. The other two quarterbacks who saw time on that 2019 Carolina squad — Grier and Allen — join fellow ex-Newton teammate Heinicke in representing three-fourths of Dallas and Washington’s reserve QBs.
The Ravens have second-year UDFA Tyler Huntley as Lamar Jackson‘s lone active-roster backup, and Newton certainly would not pose a threat to Jackson’s job were the historically productive running quarterback to land with the game’s best active ball-carrying QB. But nothing has emerged on that front. It would make sense now if Newton waits for an injury to clear a path for a potential job.
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