Cam Newton will technically be eligible to return from injured reserve if the Panthers make it to the postseason, but he has almost certainly played his last down of football this season. His tenure in Carolina may have all but come to a close, as well.
Newton is considering having surgery to repair the Lisfranc injury in his foot, Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports. He initially was going to opt for rest and rehab, but now that he has been placed on injured reserve he is taking more of a long-term approach. With the way things have unfolded since Kyle Allen took over the starting job, Newton’s long-term future may be with another team.
Rapoport said Newton wants to keep playing in 2020 despite the numerous injuries that have plagued him over the past two seasons, but the reporter considers it “highly unlikely” that the Newton will remain with the Panthers. The former NFL MVP is due 18.6 million next year, and his contract is similar to that of Joe Flacco, who was traded from the Ravens to the Broncos last offseason.
In addition to his steady play on the field, Allen’s contract situation may also be appealing to the Panthers. He has just one accrued NFL season after spending most of last season on the practice squad, and he was technically cut from his rookie contract and brought back. Since he is no longer on a rookie deal, he is eligible for a contract extension at any time. If Carolina believes he is a franchise quarterback, they could extend him this offseason with a deal that will likely be quite reasonable by starting QB standards.
Newton appeared to hint in a recent social media post that his days with the Panthers are numbered. Unless Allen completely falls on his face over the last two months of the season, he seems like he’s going to keep his starting job in 2020 and potentially beyond.
