NFL Notes: Cam Newton, Jay Gruden, NFL Draft

Cam Newton

• The Athletic reports that there’s a sense among some NFL executives that Patriots QB Cam Newton‘s arm is “declining.” Newton returned this past season from consecutive shoulder surgeries in 2018 and 2019.
• Newton has a lot of star power but might ultimately fall toward the back end of the stopgap and bridge quarterback bin in free agency in the eyes of the league, behind Andy Dalton, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Tyrod Taylor. 
• One connected source tells the Athletic not to rule out retirement for the almost 32-year-old former MVP. 
• We have him included in our Top 100 – 2021 Free Agents list.

Jay Gruden

Former Jaguars OC Jay Gruden said that a coaching position for him is “probably out of the question” without many NFL jobs available right now. However, it is possible he’ll be working in a media role in the near future. 

“I don’t know yet. I think football this year, probably out of the question. I think most of these staffs are filled up right now. So I might try my hand on the media part of it, we’ll see. I got a couple of things lined up. Maybe try my hand at commentating, studio, something like that. If I can get lucky enough to get one of those jobs it would be great to keep alive in the football world. I love the game. Love to talk about the game, love to be part of it. Sitting out is not really an option, but if that’s what I have to do then I’ll have to do that for a year,” said Gruden, via Ben Standig of The Athletic. 

Gruden was happy to see Washington win the NFC East this season but feels that his situation with the team was too difficult to win given their vast amount of injuries. He referred back to 2018 when the WFT was 6-3 prior to Alex Smith sustaining his leg injury, followed by Colt McCoy also suffering a serious injury. 

“I absolutely do. I love watching those guys play, and we drafted them for a reason. Not only for their skill as a football player but for their off-the-field (approach) and their mental makeup as a human being. There’s some great kids on that team. … Personnel-wise, just my last year there, none of them ever played. You lose your quarterback, your left tackle holds out, your right guard gets hurt. … (QB Case) Keenum got hurt (2019 Week 4) against the Giants. We had to play Haskins. Unfortunately, he wasn’t quite ready, obviously. Defensively, we’re kind of limping around a lot. It would have been nice to coach there with a full tank of gas. My last two years there, we were really reeling with the injury part of it, 30-40 guys on IR every year. It’s tough. … But Alex (Smith) was the key. When you lose Alex, you’re 6-3 and you got a two-game lead (in the division and then) you lose your starting quarterback to a broken leg as tragic as that was and what happened after all that. Then Colt McCoy breaks his leg the week after, you’re not gonna have much success. I don’t care who you are as a coach.”

Trey Lance

• Field Yates points out that North Dakota State’s official Pro Day is scheduled for Friday, March 12, making that an important date for first-round prospect QB Trey Lance.