Teams That Could Sign Him And Teams That Wouldn't

Former Carolina Panthers and New England Patriots starting quarterback Cam Newton is still a free agent, but the 2015 NFL MVP should land another contract before long.

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Newton struggled in his lone season with the Patriots, though the lackluster supporting cast didn't help matters. His return to Carolina didn't go as planned. But again, Newton didn't have much help in his second go with the franchise that drafted him.

The 32-year-old Newton may not be a Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback anymore, but he deserves a chance to start elsewhere. Here are four teams that should consider signing Newton, and four teams that likely won't have any interest whatsoever.

8 Could: Washington Commanders

The Washington Commanders gave up several early-round picks to acquire Carson Wentz from the Indianapolis Colts, but it certainly doesn't hurt to add some competition.

Wentz has struggled with health and consistency over the last four years. And Washington head coach Ron Rivera just so happened to be Newton's head coach in Carolina from 2011 to early 2019. They went to the postseason four times together, winning three NFC South division titles and one conference championship.

Even if Wentz earns the starting job, Newton can at least be a special weapon in the offense. Rivera could even use him on short yardage situations and in the red zone. Why not reunite Newton with the coach who knows him better than anyone else?

7 Wouldn't: Carolina Panthers

It made sense for the Panthers to bring in a familiar face amid Sam Darnold's miserable 2021 season. But Newton wasn't able to get much going in Matt Rhule's offense, though Christian McCaffrey's absence and a wretched offensive line didn't help matters.

Carolina is out on the Deshaun Watson sweepstakes, so the options are dwindling. But rather than bring back Newton, they'd be wise to either trade for Jimmy Garoppolo, sign Jameis Winston or take a quarterback with the No. 6 selection.

6 Could: Indianapolis Colts

The Colts traded Carson Wentz to the Commanders, leaving themselves with plenty of cap room and a gaping hole at the quarterback position.

Indianapolis doesn't have a first round pick because of the trade for Wentz last year (oops). If they can't make a move for someone like Garoppolo or Baker Mayfield, the wise move would be to sign Newton and take another QB in the second round. Newton's dual-threat style could work well with rushing champion Jonathan Taylor and that star-studded offensive line. At the very least, he could be a bridge to the Colts' next QB.

5 Wouldn't: New England Patriots

Many were surprised when the Patriots released Newton ahead of the 2021 regular season. It wasn't exactly Newton's fault, though.

Bill Belichick loved Newton and his work ethic, but the rookie quarterback Mac Jones impressed in training camp and earned the starting job. And obviously, the Patriots have no regrets naming him their starter.

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Could the Patriots bring in Newton as an insurance option? That feels unlikely. As much as Belichick likes him, the Patriots already have two decent backups on the depth chart in Brian Hoyer and Jarrett Stidham. Newton would be a fun goal line weapon in New England's offense, but there's little reason to think Belichick is keen on a reunion.

4 Could: Detroit Lions

The strucutre of Jared Goff's contract means he'll spend at least one more season in Detroit.

It's extremely unlikely that Detroit will spend the No. 2 pick on a quarterback this year. But what if they want to add competition to the quarterback room? Why not add Newton on a cheap one-year deal? Head coach Dan Campbell could even use Newton in a role similar to how the New Orleans Saints use Taysom Hill.

The options for using Newton would be limitless. And who knows? Behind Detroit's rock-solid offensive ilne, Newton might regain his starting-caliber form.

3 Wouldn't: New York Giants

Whether New York Giants fans like it or not, the team is invested on 2019 first-round pick Daniel Jones. They didn't hire former Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll to serve as the new head coach for nothing.

It's hard to blame Jones' struggles entirely on himself. Former head coach Joe Judge and offensive coordinator Jason Garrett failed to properly build the offense around Jones' skill set. Secondly, Jones played behind an atrocious offensive line that allowed 38 sacks.

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So why should Carolina sign Newton when they have Jones entering a make-or-break year? The priority should be to improve the offensive line and supporting cast around Jones. Chances are if Jones can't get it going in this offense, Newton wouldn't either. And if you're the 2015 league MVP, you shouldn't be keen on joining a rebuilding Giants team anyway.

2 Could: Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks suddenly have a quarterback void after trading away future Hall of Famer Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos. Yes, 2019 second-round pick Drew Lock was part of the return, but he hasn't established himself as a capable starting QB up to this point.

Newton would be intriguing in the rush-heavy offense that Seattle has constantly employed under Pete Carroll. Newton, D.K. Metcalf, Chris Carson, Tyler Lockett and Noah Fant would be a fun offense to watch. If anything else, Carroll could start Lock and use Newton in a Taysom Hill-like role, no?

1 Wouldn't: Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers found their short-term answer at quarterback in Mitch Trubisky, who signed a two-year pact. Nobody should be surprised if Pittsburgh ends up drafting a quarterback in round one; they're apparently interested in Liberty star Malik Willis.

Even if Pittsburgh doesn't draft a quarterback, they already have Trubisky, former first-round pick Dwayne Haskins and Mason Rudolph in the quarterback room. They don't need to add Newton when they have Trubisky and two experienced backups. And Newton would likely be more keen on joining a team that would guarantee him starting reps. Pittsburgh wouldn't be able to do that at this time.