Cam Newton's Contract With Patriots Is Only Worth $550,000 Guaranteed
The New England Patriots pulled off one of the biggest surprises of the offseason by signing former MVP Cam Newton to a one-year contract.
According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Newton's deal only carries $550,000 in guaranteed money. The maximum value of the contract is still a relatively cheap $7.5 million, including a $700,000 bonus for each game.
In short, it's still a major bargain for the Patriots. And because it's only for one year, there is absolutely zero risk in this signing.
Newton went unsigned for three months following his release from the Carolina Panthers in March. The Patriots decided against signing, drafting or trading for another quarterback, leading most to believe that they were fully set on second-year signal-caller Jarrett Stidham.
But Patriots head coach and acting GM Bill Belichick once again stunned the NFL world by pulling off a blockbuster move late in the offseason. And now, we wait and see if he'll hand the starting duties to the three-time Pro Bowler, or if he'll still move forward with Stidham as the starter.
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The Patriots lost franchise legend Tom Brady in free agency; he signed a two-year deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency. Many expected the Pats to look for another veteran starter such as Teddy Bridgewater or Andy Dalton, but Belichick was happy to wait it out a while before signing Newton.
The former Panthers star hasn't been healthy over the last two seasons, however. An injury in his right throwing shoulder hampered Newton for much of 2018. He missed all but two games last season due to a Lisfranc injury, which later required surgery. The Panthers replaced Newton by signing Bridgewater to a three-year, $63 million contract in free agency.
Belichick has a long history of helping veteran stars revive their careers, including Rodney Harrison and Randy Moss. Only time will tell if he can do the same with Newton.
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