Report: Cam Newton hasn’t ruled out being backup QB in 2020

Cam Newton hasn’t found a new job since he was released by the Carolina Panthers earlier this year and is weighing his options ahead of the 2020 season. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports that the signal caller hasn’t ruled out becoming a backup for his next team. He’s been the presumptive starter since he was selected with the top pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. DraftKings Sportsbook is taking bets on where he’ll land. Let’s take a look at the odds.

New England Patriots (+300)

The Patriots didn’t draft a quarterback with in the 2020 NFL Draft following the departure of Tom Brady. They appear to be content with Jarrett Stidham and Brian Hoyer manning their quarterback room. New England is the favorite to land Newton, but his playing style doesn’t fit Bill Belichick’s system. If the Patriots wanted to make a move, they probably would have by now. I don’t expect them to pursue Newton unless injuries come into play.

Jacksonville Jaguars (+400)

It’s become apparent that Jacksonville is betting on Garnder Minshew under center. It traded Nick Foles to the Chicago Bears, but appears to be in rebuilding mode. The Jaguars are looking to trade Yannick Ngakoue and Leonard Fournette. That can’t be appealing to Newton. He wants to play for a winner, and the Jaguars aren’t close to being a contender.

Washington (+400)

Washington is knotted with Jacksonville at +400 and has the second best odds to land Newton. It isn’t close to winning, but it does have Ron Rivera, who coached Newton in Carolina. It seems like Dwayne Haskins will get a chance to be a difference-maker though, so shaking things up by throwing Newton in the mix seems unlikely.

Pittsburgh Steelers (+500)

The Steelers have the third best odds to land Newton and could really use him to make a deep run 2020. They don’t know what they’ll get from Ben Roethlisberger, who is returning from an elbow injury that forced him to miss almost all of 2019. Pittsburgh was able to finish with an 8-8 record last season with subpar quarterback play from Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges, so imagine what it could do with a former MVP. JuJu Smith-Schuster headlines the receiving corps, Eric Ebron is at tight end, and the defense is sturdy. This seems like the most realistic option. It would be a good fit for Newton, and provide the Steelers with the best backup quarterback in the NFL.

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