Cam Newton could still be shopped in trade talks by the Carolina Panthers if and when his foot is completely healed, and the Washington Redskins may emerge as the team to watch if that ends up being the case.
Matthew Berry of ESPN spoke with sources at the NFL Scouting Combine and was given the impression that the Panthers are open to trading Newton as long as the return is reasonable. As for which teams would be willing to give up something substantial, Berry was told by insiders in both Carolina and Washington that new Redskins head coach Ron Rivera “absolutely loves” Newton.
Rivera coached Newton for eight-plus years with the Panthers. While Newton has had trouble staying healthy over the past two years, Rivera watched the former No. 1 overall pick win the NFL MVP Award and lead Carolina to a Super Bowl appearance in 2015. Newton also seemed crushed when Rivera was fired by the Panthers, which was an indication that the two have a close relationship.
New Panthers head coach Matt Rhule said last week that he is extremely excited to work with Newton, but the consensus seems to be that Carolina would trade Newton if the right offer came along. We know of at least one other team that may aggressively pursue the 30-year-old, but a reunion with Rivera makes some sense if the Redskins aren’t totally sold on Dwayne Haskins.
