Report: Cam Newton will not accept job as backup

Cam Newton remains a free agent more than a month after being released by the Carolina Panthers, and the longer into the offseason it gets, the less likely it is that he will land a starting job. However, the former NFL MVP is apparently unwilling to settle for anything less.

Newton has no plans to sign with a team as a backup, Joseph Person of The Athletic reports. If the 30-year-old can’t find a team that is interested in bringing him in as a starter in the near future, he’s content to wait until an injury opens up an opportunity.

Had this discussion w/ someone last week: No way Cam Newton signs w/ anyone as a backup. Continue to rehab and wait for travel restrictions to lift so teams can examine him. Worst case: He waits until a starter gets hurt.

— Joe Person (@josephperson) May 3, 2020

There aren’t many starting jobs available at the moment. The Los Angeles Chargers have been mentioned as a possible Newton suitor, but they drafted Justin Herbert with the sixth overall pick and appear to be content entering the season with Tyrod Taylor as their starter if Herbert isn’t ready. The New England Patriots have also come up, but they passed on Andy Dalton and have virtually no salary cap space.

It’s almost surreal that Newton can’t find a starting job, though his health has become a big concern in recent years. The foot injury that held him out for most of the 2019 season is one that can linger throughout a player’s career, so that has likely scared some teams away. There have already been indications of just how long Newton is willing to wait to find a new job, and that timeline appears to still hold true.