Update: The team made the move to release QB Cam Newton official Tuesday.
#Panthers have released QB Cam Newton https://t.co/rmOOppyGmG
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) March 24, 2020
“Cam has meant a lot to this organization and the Carolinas,” GM Marty Hurney said. “Everyone saw his performances on the field. I had the privilege of seeing how hard he worked off the field, and his commitment to this team when no one was watching. He’s the ultimate competitor and it physically hurts him to lose. He willed this team to victory on many occasions and will always be considered one of the greatest players in the history of this franchise. His contributions to this team, this community and the game of football will leave a lasting impact on our organization.”
According to Tom Pelissero, the Panthers are expected to release Cam Newton as soon as today.
While Carolina had given Newton permission to seek a trade, his murky health status and the lack of job openings around the league made a deal unlikely.
Ian Rapoport says the Panthers tried shopping Newton to the Bears and Chargers, but to no avail. Chicago traded for Nick Foles, while Los Angeles appears set to roll with Tyrod Taylor and potentially a rookie.
The team will now turn the page to new starting QB Teddy Bridgewater, while Newton figures out what the next step in his career will be.
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.
According to OverTheCap.com, releasing Newton frees up $19.1 of available cap space while creating $2 million in dead money.
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 also rushed five times for -2 yards.
We have Newton listed in our Top-100 2020 Free Agents list.
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