2. Offer Newton a contract extension

Of course, if Newton has a vintage comeback season, he’s going to cost a whole lot more if they want to keep him around afterwards. To avoid that scenario, Carolina could offer Newton an extension right now. Doing so would create more cap space for the 2020 season (roughly $14.5 million according to Over the Cap) and they need all the breathing room they can get. The potential downside here is if Newton doesn’t get his groove back then his new contract will likely become one of the most burdensome at his position.