The 2022 quarterback carousel is pretty much over. The NFL quarterback free agent list is down to basically one man: Cam Newton.
The 2015 NFL MVP and 2010 Heisman winner watched the Carolina Panthers trade for Baker Mayfield this past week, essentially ending his second tenure with the team.
Here are three teams that may want to give Cam Newton a chance to be a backup or even compete for the starting quarterback position:
Houston Texans
Davis Mills is not going to win you a Super Bowl. Mills went 2-9 in his rookie campaign as a 3rd round pick out of Stanford. He beat the Jacksonville Jaguars and somehow beat the Los Angeles Chargers the following week. If Newton signed with the Texans, he would immediately be in contention for starting quarterback. The question is does Cam want to be a potential starter on a really bad team, or a backup on a team that can make a potential run to the Super Bowl?
Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks traded away Russell Wilson to Denver. This leaves Seattle with Drew Lock and Geno Smith battling for the QB1 spot this upcoming season. Lock went 0-3 last season in Denver as Teddy Bridgewater’s backup. While he has shown signs to be a potential starting quarterback in this league, he hasn’t shown the consistency needed to be the face of a franchise. Smith went 1-2 in 2021 with Seattle and is in a head-to-head competition with Lock going into the season. Smith already knows the playbook, but is that enough for Seattle to be competitive in the NFC West? I think Newton could make an immediate impact in Seattle.
New York Giants
Daniel Jones has been a decent starting quarterback for the New York Giants. The problem is decent doesn’t cut it when you are filling the shoes of future Hall of Fame quarterback Eli Manning in the big apple. Injuries have affected Jones and his teammates in his three seasons in New York. Jones is just 12-25 as the starter for the Giants and durability is starting to become a question mark for the young quarterback. Cam Newton could come into New York and help the young quarterback develop or cause a media circus in the city that never sleeps.
Somewhere Else
All of the teams mentioned above all could use help at the quarterback position. There are plenty of teams that would want the experience of a former MVP and Super Bowl starting quarterback on their team. With free agency this deep into the offseason, a pickup like Cam Newton is sure to cause media buzz. Which team believes Cam Newton still has it in him to be an above average quarterback in the NFL?