After being replaced in Carolina by Teddy Bridgewater, former Panther Cam Newton will attempt to fill the cleats of Tom Brady in New England with the Patriots.
In a move that seems to make sense for both sides, the former NFL MVP has agreed to a one-year deal with the Patriots that is short on up-front cash but loaded with incentives. Newton’s contract with the team is a “bare minimum” deal, but can be worth up to $7.5 million, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network.
For Newton, the contract is a chance to prove he can still be a high-level quarterback in the NFL as well as an opportunity to be mentored by the best coach in football in Bill Belichick. For New England, a one-year deal with Newton gives them a theoretical chance to compete for the Super Bowl this season and gives the team another year to see if second-year quarterback Jarrett Stidham can develop into a franchise QB.
The timing of the announcement of the deal also helps New England on another front as the NFL also announced the team’s punishment for taping the sideline of the Bengals last season.
The NFL has handed down penalties for the #Patriots folowing the investigation of the filming of the #Bengals’ sideline, as @MikeReiss noted: $1.1m fine, loss of third-round draft pick next year, team production crews can’t film games this upcoming season.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) June 29, 2020
Had the Newton signing not been announced, that story would have been big news for sports-starved NFL fans. But, now that the nine-year veteran has signed with New England, that story will dominate headlines and talks shows in the coming days.
It may not end up working out, but it’s an intriguing move regardless.
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