When Cam Newton weighed his decision to return to the Carolina Panthers this past season, he did so with distinct criteria:
He wanted to go to a contender.
He wanted to go to a situation that allowed him to be himself.
He wanted to go to a situation that allowed him to compete for the starting job.
So, if Newton isn’t brought back by the Panthers in free agency, where would his next best fit be? Using Newton’s very own system, we ranked the top six possible destinations for Cam in 2022.
Arizona Cardinals
Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Contender score: 7/10
“Be me” score: 6/10
Starting job score: 1/10
While Newton did say he wanted a chance to become the starter, his outlook has since changed.
That was on back on Nov. 11, when the Panthers were desperate in giving him the reins to save their sinking ship of a season. Cam’s most recent comments, specifically from his exit interview two months later on Jan. 10, implied he’d be willing to take a backup gig if it meant winning.
Arizona…