Soon-to-be former Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota can scratch the Carolina Panthers off his list of potential destinations in free agency this offseason.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Panthers are “moving forward” with veteran quarterback Cam Newton for the 2020 season.
A lot can still happen in the coming months, but as of now, the #Panthers are moving forward with Cam Newton as their starting QB, sources say. While his foot is healing well, it will be several months until it’s game-ready — a timeline that complicates any potential trade.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 25, 2020
Had the Panthers decided to move on from Newton, Carolina would have been an ideal landing spot for Mariota, who could have had an opportunity to compete for a starting job there.
Of course, the Panthers could still have interest in Mariota as an insurance policy given Newton’s lengthy injury history, however even that doesn’t seem likely.
Carolina will also have 2019 third-round pick Will Grier on the roster as a backup, and then there’s also Kyle Allen, who is an exclusive rights free agent.
A once-promising destination for Mariota is out of the conversation for now, but the former No. 2 overall pick will still have plenty of options to choose from when free agency starts.