Where could quarterback Cam Newton end up after another return to the Carolina Panthers is no longer an option following their trade for Baker Mayfield?
The chances of Cam Newton making another return to the Carolina Panthers appeared slim despite general manager Scott Fitterer claiming that the lines of communication remained open throughout the offseason. Now that the team has pulled the trigger on a trade for Baker Mayfield, it’s gone from unlikely to non-existent.
Newton will always be remembered as one of the team’s greatest-ever players. A player that transcended the Panthers and propelled them out of obscurity into legitimate Super Bowl contention for a brief period.
Coming back last season must have been a difficult decision after the way he was shown the door in 2020. Although Newton was paid handsomely, he never really stood a chance, and a deep affection for the franchise and its fans wasn’t enough to stop Carolina’s freefall over the second half of the campaign.
The Panthers represented arguably Newton’s best chance of getting back into the league. What comes next for the former NFL MVP is unclear, but a situation could emerge where the signal-caller’s hand is forced to walk away from the game entirely.
Much will depend on whether injury strikes somewhere in training camp. But here are three landing spots that make sense for Newton now that the Panthers’ door has seemingly closed.