Cam Newton will began to get a fresh start after reportedly agreeing to a deal with the New England Patriots.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen, Newton and New England settled on a “a one-year, incentive-laden” contract.
The Carolina Panthers released the quarterback after nine seasons.
Shoulder and foot injuries have limited the 31-year-old over the past year, with him making only two starts in the Panthers’ last 18 games.
However, he has been a difference-maker when healthy with at least 3,000 passing yards and 300 rushing yards each season from 2011 to 2018. He won the NFL MVP award in 2015 when he threw a career-high 35 touchdown passes while leading the Panthers to a 15-1 record and a trip to the Super Bowl.
Though the Panthers have been up and down as a team since then, Newton has continued to produce at a high level, completing a personal-best 67.9 percent of passes over 14 games in 2018. His 94.2 quarterback rating that season was the second-highest of his career, while he also added 488 rushing yards and four scores on the ground.
Carolina decided to move on after his injury-filled 2019, signing Teddy Bridgewater to take over as the starter under new coach Matt Rhule.
Newton remained a free agent through the 2020 NFL draft, with many speculating he was seeking a clear chance to start with a new team. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported in May the quarterback was willing to take a backup role in the right situation.
