Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, citing a source with knowledge of the situation, reports that the Chargers currently are debating whether to pursue Panthers QB Cam Newton.
However, Florio mentions that a trade remains unlikely given the inability of team doctors to give Newton a physical. Should he end up being released by Carolina, Florio could the Chargers pursuing him at that point.
The Chargers were in the mix to sign Tom Brady before his agreement with the Buccaneers. The team has also indicated that they’re fine moving forward with Tyrod Taylor as their starting quarterback, but there’s still a chance they look to bring in more compensation.
Earlier in the week, the Panthers announced that they’ve given Newton’s agent permission to seek a trade.
“One of the distinct pleasures of my career was selecting Cam with the first pick in the 2011 draft,” Panthers GM Marty Hurney said in a statement. “Every year difficult decisions are made and they are never easy. We have been working with Cam and his agent to find the best fit for him moving forward and he will always be a Carolina Panther in our hearts.”
Though Panthers HC Matt Rhule gave the indication at the Combine the team would move forward with Newton as the starter, it makes sense that Newton’s camp might not be thrilled about the prospect of playing out his contract season for a rebuilding team.
Newton’s health will be a factor in trade discussions after he missed large chunks of the past two seasons with shoulder and foot injuries. While Carolina expected Newton to be able to pass a physical in early March, he would still likely have been limited through spring workouts in early April and May.
Newton, 30, is a former first-round pick of the Panthers back in 2011. He is entering the fifth year of his six-year, $118.47 million contract that includes $60 million guaranteed and stands to make base salaries of $16.2 million and $18.6 million over the final two years of the agreement.
In 2019, Newton appeared in two games for the Panthers, completing 50 out of 89 passes for 572 yards, no touchdowns and one interception. He has also rushed five times for -2 yards.
We’ll have more on Newton as the news is available.
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