This is the debut piece in a new series of articles at Lions Wire exploring the remaining 2020 free agent pool, looking for potential upgrades to the Detroit Lions’ roster.
First up, should the Lions sign QB Cam Newton?
Let’s take a closer look at the five biggest questions surrounding a Lions-Newton marriage and if it is in the best interest of both parties to get a deal done.
Why is Cam Newton still a free agent?
Newton (age 31) was released by the Carolina Panthers this offseason after back-to-back seasons that were cut short due to injury, a contract averaging over $20 million, and a new front office/coaching staff that wanted to go in a different direction.
Newton remains a free agent for several reasons, the most notable being teams difficulty in giving him a physical due to the COVID-19 restrictions. After coming off shoulder surgeries in March of 2017 and January of 2019, as well as a Lisfranc (foot) surgery in December of 2019, Newton has several concerning issues for a quarterback that makes an impact with both his arm and feet.
As restrictions lighten and teams begin to explore more free agents with lingering medical concerns, Newton will undoubtedly begin getting phone calls, but his opportunities for a starting role are all but gone.
How would Newton fit on the Lions roster?
Let’s be clear, this is Matthew Stafford’s team and he is the starting quarterback.
If the Lions brought in Newton, it would be for a reserve role, as a player with starter-level ability, if Stafford were to go down with an injury. Newton would compete with Chase Daniel and David Blough for the number two role and if Newton is indeed healthy, he would be the favorite for the top reserve role.
Lions offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell’s attacking vertical west-coast scheme would fit Newton’s skill set very well and if Newton was given the opportunity to get regular-season snaps, there is a real possibility he would parlay it into Teddy Bridgewater-like 2019 season — getting a new contract and starting role in 2021.
What’s the anticipated price tag?
When Newton was released in March, he was expected to command a 1-year contract totaling somewhere around $15-17 million with less than $10 million guaranteed.
But now that the draft is over and virtually all the starting (and most backup) quarterback roles across the league have been filled, the price tag for veteran signal-callers is plummeting.
The most recent notable quarterback contracts for former starters looking for a reserve role are Jamies Winston (Saints) with a $2.8 million cap hit in 2020 with $1.1 guaranteed and Andy Dalton (Cowboys) with a $3 million cap hit in 2020, all of it fully guaranteed.
Newton may hold out for more, but every day that passes, his contract potentially goes down even further. If Newton stands firm on a higher price tag, it’s possible he may have to wait for a team with an injury at quarterback to come calling in a desperate situation.
Should the Lions pursue Newton at that price?
If Newton is willing to sign a one year deal in the $3 million range, the Lions should be interested, even after giving Daniel a 3-year $13.05 deal. The Lions have faith in Daniel as a reserve but he just isn’t on Newton’s level as a player.
The Lions have the cap space to carry all three, and with Stafford’s recent injury history, carrying two backups that total $5 million in cap space in 2020 is reasonable.
Would Newton be receptive to the Lions?
While the Lions should give Newton’s agent a call and try to get him in for a physical, they may not be as high on his wish list as some other franchises, due to Stafford’s hold on the starting job.
“The thought process has been all along that Newton wants to be a starter,” Ian Rapoport recently reported on NFL Network. “He does want to be a starter, former MVP, he should be a starter but the reality is that there just aren’t any starting jobs available, so now — maybe a little bit of a shift in philosophy here — my understanding is that Cam Newton has not ruled out taking a backup job in the right situation. It remains to be seen where and when that will be, but obviously, Newton is still unemployed and really only has two choices: take a potentially prime backup job right now or wait until another starter gets injured, which may or may not come.”
So do the Lions have a “prime backup job”?
According to Draft Kings, the New England Patriots lead the way in the betting odds to land Newton, followed by the Cardinals, Steelers, Titans, and Washington in a four-way tie for second, then the Ravens, Rams, and Seahawks are also ahead of the Lions who are tied for ninth with the Broncos and Jaguars.
Erik’s Conclusion
General manager Bob Quinn is known for his due diligence and chances are that he has, at the very least, explored the idea of adding Newton to the Lions. As Newton’s price tag drops, the Lions may very well reach out, but at the end of the day, Newton probably has a few more options he’d likely explore before returning that call to Allen Park.
My assumption is Newton would rather land in a spot where he could compete for a starting role — as opposed to in Detroit where his only path to a starting role would be via an injury to Stafford — and I wouldn’t be surprised if he landed with the Patriots where he could compete with Jarrett Stidham and Brian Hoyer for the starting job.