Cam Newton has agreed to re-sign with the New England Patriots on a one-year deal, and many were shocked to hear how much the contract is worth after the season Newton had in 2020. When you look at it more closely, however, it does not seem like a huge risk for the Patriots.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Newton’s one-year contract is worth $14 million. As you might expect, that amount is hardly guaranteed.
Newton’s contract with the Patriots last season was essentially a league-minimum base salary with numerous incentives. The contract was worth up to $7.5 million, so Newton has the opportunity to earn double that this year. However, Albert Breer of The MMQB reports that the new contract is loaded with the same types of incentives.
I'm told this deal is essentially a beefed-up version of last year's incentive-heavy Patriots contract for Cam Newton. Last year's deal was worth up to $7.5 million, with a base value of just $1.05 million, $700K in per-game roster bonuses, and $5.75 million in incentives. https://t.co/gPAdjMVVmn
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) March 12, 2021
The Athletic’s Jeff Howe said Newton will only earn $14 million “if everything goes perfectly.”
There was no reason for Newton to think he could earn big money from the Patriots or any other team after the way he played last season. He may feel his performance was greatly hindered by the shortened offseason and his bout with COVID-19, but he knew he was going to have to sign another prove-it deal.
Newton finished with 2,657 yards passing, eight touchdowns and 10 interceptions last season. He’s betting on himself once again, but he didn’t have much of a choice. Hopefully his unique offseason training this year will yield better results heading into the 2021 season.
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