Mike McCarn/Associated Press
The trade: Carolina Panthers send QB Cam Newton to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for a first-round pick, 2021 mid-round pick
Strap in, as Cam Newton is going to be one of the most speculated-about players of the 2020 offseason.
The veteran Carolina Panthers quarterback is 30 years old and has one year left on his deal, checking in at a cap hit of $21.1 million. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport has already reported the Panthers will look to deal him.
That makes sense if new Panthers coach Matt Rhule wants to get his own quarterback and reset everything. It wouldn’t hurt to land a few assets while clearing the books of not only Newton’s current number, but also his future extension.
Perhaps this is what the Indianapolis Colts have been waiting for. The front office in Indianapolis has generally been conservative, using draft picks smartly to build up the offensive trenches after failing Andrew Luck. The Colts are sitting on about $90 million in cap space.
They didn’t have a choice but to give it a shot with Jacoby Brisset given the timing of Luck’s retirement last August. He responded with a 60.9 completion percentage with 18 touchdowns and six interceptions as the Colts went 7-9.
While there is an inherent risk in sacrificing multiple assets to bring Newton to town, the cap hit wouldn’t hurt much, and he remains a former MVP who could have productive seasons left. Pairing him with a weapon like T.Y. Hilton, along with some potential free-agent adds, sounds like fun and could help Indianapolis return to contention.