Report: Teams hesitant to sign Cam Newton due to injury history, throwing issues

Cam Newton was released by the New England Patriots last week, and he hasn't drawn much interest in free agency as the regular season approaches. 

Apparently, the reason for the lack of interest in Newton stems from his injury history and a belief that he's "not throwing the ball very well," one source with extensive experience evaluating NFL personnel told Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio.

Since 2018, Newton has suffered the following injuries, per Draft Sharks:

• January 2018: Grade 1 knee strain
• October 2018: Shoulder injury that required surgery
• September 2019: Pedal Lisfranc sprain 
• June 2021: Hand injury 

Newton struggled as a passer in 2020, tallying eight touchdowns and 10 interceptions on 368 attempts, so it's not surprising that teams have concerns about his throwing. He had a 65.8 completion percentage but was one of the more conservative quarterbacks in the league with a 7.2-yard average depth of target.

In addition, Newton didn't surpass one passing touchdown in a game until Week 17 against the New York Jets. However, New England didn't supply him with solid receivers, so his passing issues aren't entirely his fault. 

According to Florio, the same source "bristled loudly" at former Patriots defensive end Rob Ninkovich suggesting Newton didn't understand the playbook and that rookie quarterback Mac Jones had to help him learn it. 

Shortly after his release, it was reported that Newton was drawing interest from the Dallas Cowboys. However, Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy and owner Jerry Jones essentially closed the door on signing the veteran, with Jones saying, "Cam Newton is not playing because everybody has evaluated it, and they're making a decision. . . . We were very, very easy to evaluate Cam."

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport recently added he's unsure whether or not Newton will end up with another team this season, adding he could remain unsigned when Week 1 begins.