Cam Newton was released by the Panthers a couple weeks ago and he’s still a free agent. While there aren’t a lot of vacancies at quarterback around the NFL right now, the fact that he’s still unsigned is a bit strange considering his resumé, which is far more impressive than any other QB on the market.
Some analysts have suggested that Newton needs to work his way back to being a starter in this league, perhaps sitting behind a player like Carson Wentz for a year to prove himself. To be clear, that idea is laughable and anyone who propagates it shouldn’t be taken seriously.
Newton may never again reach the same heights he did when he won MVP and carried an otherwise mediocre offense to the Super Bowl in 2015. However, he was playing at a high level as recently as the first half of the 2018 season.
Those who were there know that Newton can still be a force in this league. Speaking in an interview on Ian Rapoport’s podcast, Chargers guard and former Carolina teammate Trai Turner said he believes Cam is a starter.
“I think right now his biggest thing is to be 100% healthy, which I think he is. Not just physically, but mentally also. To see what his next phase would be in his career. I do believe that he’s a starter in the NFL. I don’t know where that’ll be. It may or may not be with the Chargers. If he is, that’ll be awesome. And if it’s Tyrod [Taylor], that’s still great. I like whoever’s back there. So, I’m excited about that.”
The Chargers should definitely be interested and they may have an inside track with Turner. Other teams that would be getting an immediate upgrade at quarterback include the Giants, Redskins, Bills and Broncos.
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