This is an usual NFL piece from yours truly because normally I don’t concern myself with the happenings of the National Football League during its long long loooong offseason. After the Super Bowl I’m all grid-ironed out, I’ll check back in for a peek at the draft when it happens, try to at least have an ear to the ground during the first couple days of free agency, but otherwise I don’t need to know the ins and outs. At this stage of the process every team thinks they’re preparing for a championship and it’s all speculation up until week one. Which, yeah sweet, if that’s your thing then go for it... there are plenty of sports where the ins and outs and the speculation keeps me laser focussed... but the NFL is such a weird and intense beast that I have to take a few steps back in between seasons. The inevitable crushing ending of the previous Cowboys season is a part of that too, I’ll admit. So between February and September it’s NFL minimalism for me... up until I begin the latest Wildcard’s Preseason NFL Quarterback Rankings.

I’m making an exception here because there’s a situation that’s rather fascinating to me and, yes, it involves a veteran quarterback. But it’s not Tom Brady going to Tampa Bay – which still doesn’t feel real, by the way. Nor is it Aaron Rodgers getting Aaron Rodgers-ed by the Packers in the draft. Fair play to Joe Burrow and Tua Tagovailoa but I have a wait and see policy with rookie quarterbacks. Nah, Cam Newton is where my confusion lies.

The next time he takes the field will be the first time in Cam Newton’s NFL career that he won’t be kitting up for the Carolina Panthers. After nine seasons with the franchise, including taking them to a Super Bowl and winning an MVP, he was given permission to seek a trade in mid-March but having only played two games last year because of injury there just wasn’t much of a market for him. Newton’s not a project QB, he turned 31 this month and is in it for the rings at this point. But the teams who are capable of challenging either already have their quarterback sorted for the foreseeable future or they can’t afford him or they aren’t convinced by the medical side of things. So a week after the trade nudge the Panthers straight up went and released him.

Cam Newton is therefore a cautionary tale for all sports/sportsfolk right now. There’s no logical reason why a player like him should be out of a job at this stage of his career and yet at the same time there are heaps of reasons and when you add the pandemic into things that little extra push has been enough to leave a man who was an MVP within the last five seasons on the outside looking in.

For Newton the injuries have been the doombringers. He feels like a broken body these days. It’s easy to forget that he only missed five games in eight years to start his career... but as a QB who runs the ball as often as he does and with the demolishing hits that he takes in the process he wouldn’t be the first dude that the injuries all caught up with at once. He may claim to be fully fit again now, and he probably is, but Newton has spent the last couple years playing through pain. Multiple shoulder injuries severely limited his throwing accuracy and a foot injury in 2019 meant he only played twice. So not only has he been out of sight for most of the last twelve months but before that he was performing at less than his best too. That’s the version of him that coaches and executives have in their minds right now. And while by the looks of his own videos he’s in outstanding shape these days... they understandably need a whole lot more convincing than that and thanks to the current, you know, situation they haven’t been able to get those reassurances amidst all the social distancing. Can’t send a trainer to evaluate him during lockdown, mate.

Add all that together and you’ve got an MVP winning quarterback who is only 31 years old during an era when the best QBs out there are still breaking records in their late-30s and beyond and he can’t seem to find a new job. He’s talking about settling for a backup role if it’s the right fit. It’s a strange combination of factors leading to a very strange conundrum. Where the hell does Cam Newton end up? Will he end up anywhere at all?

There’ll obviously be a concern here about whether Newton can recapture the power running game that made him such a weapon... there’s just no way to predict that without seeing him play and it’s one more obstacle that he’s up against. Run-first QBs traditionally don’t have a long lifespan in the NFL, same as running backs themselves, and while he’ll no doubt believe he’s the exception to that rule it doesn’t mean that the conservative NFL establishment will believe that until they see it. And while he’s out there having to be patient, the jobs he’s hoping to get are dwindling away.

The New England Patriots would be an incredible fit... but they have so much dead money on their cap bill that they can’t really afford anyone. Regardless, they’re pretty chuffed with this Jarrett Stidham bloke and with Brian Hoyer as his backup. It might still happen but that one seems unlikely. Meanwhile the Chicago Bears discussed a trade for Newton but ended up trading for Nick Foles instead. And the Panthers have already moved on with Teddy Bridgewater signed to a multi-year deal.

We can automatically rule out at least a third of the league. The Ravens, Chiefs, Cowboys, Texans, Seahawks, Saints, Eagles, Packers, Falcons, Buccaneers, Lions, 49ers, Vikings... they’ve got no problems with where they’re at with their quarterbacks. Down go 13/32 options already. Similarly the Cardinals, Bengals, Giants, R*dskins, Bills, and Dolphins have all committed to young QBs and are happy in their rebuilding modes. That’s 19/32 teams out of the running now. Chuck in the Bears and Panthers as already mentioned. The Titans have given a big old contract to Ryan Tannehill so that’s them accounted for. The Browns are fine with Baker Mayfield for now. Philip Rivers has found his way onto the Indianapolis Colts. Which leaves just eight teams that would even consider Cam Newton...

Jacksonville Jaguars – Just signed Mike Glennon but Mike Glennon sucks so it’s a matter of how much they believe in Gardner Minshew. They’re going to at least give the Shewster the opportunity to earn it... same as with most of these options Cam Newton is going to have to wait until mid-season if this gig’s gonna open up.

Los Angeles Rams – Would actually be an amazing fit for a healthy Cam Newton... but for the not-so-small matter of Jared Goff’s contract. They’ve restructured that deal already and they’re not getting rid of Goff.

Denver Broncos – Cam Newton is better than Drew Lock. But he’s not exactly John Elway’s vision of a quarterback. Don’t see how they’d be interested even if this is one of the more exciting landing spots.

Los Angeles Chargers – In the absence of long-timer Philip Rivers it seems to be Tyrod Taylor stepping up while sixth overall 2020 pick Justin Herbert learns the ropes. Not a situation that encompasses Newton unless something unplanned for happens.

Las Vegas Raiders – Derek Carr and Marcus Mariota aren’t the flashiest of duos however both are guys who can produce at a level well above their current reputations, the Raiders have already chosen their course and it won’t include Newton.

Pittsburgh Steelers – The Steelers are only included in the event that Ben Roethlisberger still isn’t healthy. Newton would be a very handy replacement in that case but this remains Big Ben’s team if he can stand unassisted on his own two legs and swing his arm in something resembling a semi-circle.

New York Jets – The Jets are always an option for anyone and anything... but for now their starter is set as young mate Sam Darnold, a fella who they’ve invested a few years into and don’t wanna give up the dream.

New England Patriots – Already have a succession plan for Tom Brady and they can’t afford Cam Newton anyway, not as things currently stand.

Or, alternatively, he could choose to be a backup at a better team. Or, alternatively to the alternative, he could chill out for a while and wait to see if there’s an injury somewhere and a team gets desperate. Andy Dalton (Cowboys) and Jameis Winston (Saints) have already signed as insurance plans for contending teams and Cam Newton is better than both of those fellas, no questions asked (health permitting, yeah yeah). His best bet seems to be sitting back and staying ready for when that first major injury happens.

It’s an awkward position to find himself in. As long as he’s patient, and as long as the season goes ahead no dramas, he’ll definitely get some NFL game time in 2020. But in a time of unprecedented player power in sports it’s crazy to see a guy only 31 years old, only five years removed from an MVP trophy, being iced out of the league. A combination of his injuries, the pandemic, bad timing as far as other teams go, and now the league has suddenly moved past him and he’s left chasing after the train, waving his handkerchief, trying to catch up.

Would he have signed if there wasn’t a pandemic? Having NFL free agency take place in the middle of it sure didn’t bloody help him, unable to offer those assurances about his fitness. He was going to be in a tricky place either way but that’s the thing with the pando... it hasn’t changed too many circumstances so much as it’s accelerated them, exaggerated them, given them a line of coke and a handgun and said: here, deal with your own problems. Which makes Cam Newton a cautionary tale as we see pro sports trying their best to resume things around the world. For example, a lot of European football clubs are desperate to finish their paused seasons because expiring contracts run out on 30 June, which would unleash all manner of demons – particularly for players who don’t wanna be caught in the situation that Cam Newton finds himself in. And those leagues mostly won’t be finished by the end of June either, FIFA have allowed for temporary extensions and a shifted transfer window but it’s a delicate situation. Just ask Mr Newton.

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