Cam Newton signs with Carolina

Jinhocho

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From a health perspective - the dude already had COVID and has natural immunity for a good while and a decent chance maybe a long long term boost as well - he wasnt a risk to anyone. From a league policy on COVID that didnt recognize natural immunity he was up the creek. That being said - it was always about his ability to throw basic nfl passes at this point in his career.
 

Cellar-Door

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It's easy to write off stuff like that, but it's really impossible to do so.

For marginal guys, everything counts. Vax is a new consideration of course. But guys having legal problems, guys who are challenging teammates, general douchebags--teams will overlook that shit for the Ray Lewises of the world, but not the Ray Rices (end stage Rice anyway).

Peak Cam probably skates on vax stuff. And maybe 2021 "cut during camp" Cam would be unemployed even if vaxed. But I think that it's nuts to pr.esume that 1. teams aren't keeping a pros/cons tally on FA QBs, and 2. being unvaxed isn't a tally on the con side.

Being vaxed matters. Maybe it's not enough for him to land a gig, but it matters. It's a smart move on his part.
yeah, beyond the waiting period, you have a whole bunch of special protocols that make it harder to have meetings, harder to do a lot of things, more frequent tests, longer periods out for a positive test.

Vaccinated players don't have the 5 day quarantine for being a contact with a positive test, unvaccinated players do.
Vaccinated players who test positive can return after 2 negative tests 24 hours apart, unvaccinated players have a mandatory 10 day isolation
Unvaccinated players have to wear masks, can't congregate in groups of more than 3, etc.

These are particularly big issues for a backup QB. In a situation like ARI, Cam could test negative and still miss the game because he was in contact with his coach. If Kyler was one of the guys who tested positive, you suddenly are down 2 QBs.

There are a number of reasons Cam is unsigned, but being unvaccinated was going to be a major issue. Remember last year some teams were paying a QB to literally not report in case they had a QB room wipeout due to close contact. Now that's gone, but if Cam is your backup it isn't.
 

P'tucket rhymes with...

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From a health perspective - the dude already had COVID and has natural immunity for a good while and a decent chance maybe a long long term boost as well - he wasnt a risk to anyone. From a league policy on COVID that didnt recognize natural immunity he was up the creek. That being said - it was always about his ability to throw basic nfl passes at this point in his career.
This is incorrect. However, having some presumed natural immunity and getting the vaccine afterward might confer "superimmunity" on him.

https://hub.jhu.edu/2021/09/10/infection-from-covid-vs-vaccines/

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-02795-x
 

Cellar-Door

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Cam wants to play. My man is going to be carrying some baggage with him. and it ain't hat boxes. Who needs help?
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/32421057/free-agent-qb-cam-newton-says-got-vaccinated-wants-keep-playing-nfl
It's tough to see a good fit right now.
The teams getting the worst QB play right now either:
1. Have a rookie QB (NYJ, CHI, JAX, HOU)
2. Have a young QB they invested money or picks in and aren't likely to give up on yet (MIA, DET, CAR, NYG)
3. Have a guy with such history they can't bench him for Cam (PIT)

Probably not enough time left in Wilson's injury for SEA to make sense.

If he's willing to be a true backup more stuff makes sense: ATL, CIN, IND, maybe ARI or LAC
 

Big McCorkle

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Pittsburg probably should be willing to toss Roethlisberger to the curb for Cam, if not for how long it would probably take to install him into the offense.
 

reggiecleveland

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Sorry if this is too dumb a question.
But, would not bringing in Cam, where a simplified playbook allows him to improvise, require his teammates to do a lot of decision making, to fit with his talent. Would not that be a harder thing to do midseason, rather than a more conventional guy?
 

Eddie Jurak

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Sorry if this is too dumb a question.
But, would not bringing in Cam, where a simplified playbook allows him to improvise, require his teammates to do a lot of decision making, to fit with his talent. Would not that be a harder thing to do midseason, rather than a more conventional guy?
For a team whose offense is built around a pocket QB, yes. But many teams probably have a some of those playes in their offense already.
 

RG33

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I was at the game on Sunday and so many Panthers fans were lamenting that it wasn’t the “Can Coming Home” game they were anticipating back in August. It would be a great story for him to re-sign with them, even if he ends up playing just a handful of games and they go nowhere. He is still beloved in the Carolinas and within those in the organization that remain from the previous regime.
 

mauf

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Good for Cam. This could be the storybook ending.
Not sure backing up PJ Walker counts as a “storybook ending.” The Panthers wouldn’t be bringing Cam in to start.

For me, the telling moment was when Ron Rivera didn’t pick up the phone after Fitzy got hurt Week 1, or even after Taylor Heineke proved himself unready for prime time. No calls from Denver or New Orleans either. The consensus seems to be that Cam is toast.
 

johnmd20

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Not sure backing up PJ Walker counts as a “storybook ending.” The Panthers wouldn’t be bringing Cam in to start.

For me, the telling moment was when Ron Rivera didn’t pick up the phone after Fitzy got hurt Week 1, or even after Taylor Heineke proved himself unready for prime time. No calls from Denver or New Orleans either. The consensus seems to be that Cam is toast.
Why not? PJ Walker kind of sucks.

edit - "kind of" is generous. Granted SSS, but PJ Walker has a QB rating of 42 for his career on 71 attempts. 7% interception rate, too.
 

mauf

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Why not? PJ Walker kind of sucks.

edit - "kind of" is generous. Granted SSS, but PJ Walker has a QB rating of 42 for his career on 71 attempts. 7% interception rate, too.
I think Rhule has done a great job in Carolina, so I trust his talent evaluation chops enough to assume that Walker is better than he’s shown. But you’re right — it’s also possible that Walker is Nathan Peterman-level bad, in which case Cam could be starting as soon as he learns the playbook.
 

tims4wins

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I think Rhule has done a great job in Carolina, so I trust his talent evaluation chops enough to assume that Walker is better than he’s shown. But you’re right — it’s also possible that Walker is Nathan Peterman-level bad, in which case Cam could be starting as soon as he learns the playbook.
Ehh. 5-11 last year, and while 4-5 this year, A) they started off 3-0 are are now 1-5 in their last 6, B) their offense is a dumpster fire, and C) 2 of the wins were against the Jets and Houston. Injuries are a factor and they've been mostly competitive (-12 point differential on the season), but I'm not convinced that Rhule is going to make it to a 4th year in Carolina (I bet he makes it to year 3 and is canned next year).
 

mauf

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Ehh. 5-11 last year, and while 4-5 this year, A) they started off 3-0 are are now 1-5 in their last 6, B) their offense is a dumpster fire, and C) 2 of the wins were against the Jets and Houston. Injuries are a factor and they've been mostly competitive (-12 point differential on the season), but I'm not convinced that Rhule is going to make it to a 4th year in Carolina (I bet he makes it to year 3 and is canned next year).
I thought he inherited the worst situation in the league, so 5-11 was better than I expected, and I’m impressed he has lifted them to respectability in year 2. Agree that he needs to show something (probably a winning season) next year if he’s going to stick around beyond then.
 

SMU_Sox

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They have a good team minus they need more investment in the OL, QB, and TE. Unfortunately OL and QB are two critical parts of team building and the Darnold gamble didn’t pay off. He’s created a good defense and his skilled position players are better than league average but until he fixes those two glaring holes it’s going to be an uphill struggle. I also like Phil Snow and Joe Brady as coordinators. Hope he can find an answer and soon.
 

lexrageorge

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Cam is an easy guy to root for. Was the perfect QB for the post-Brady season even if his performance was bottom tier.
 

BigSoxFan

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Perfect situation for me. Get to root for Cam without worrying about how much he sucks.
 

Van Everyman

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Finding a franchise QB is pretty hard. A lot of teams fumble their way around looking for one.
It seems weird though to have given up a second round pick for Darnold. You would’ve wanted to have at least seen glimpses in his previous three seasons, as in w Wentz. But w Darnold I think we all know what we did see.
 

jsinger121

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Wow a sucker is born every minute. The Carolina Panthers giving him those type of guarantees is mind boggling.
 

Old Fart Tree

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How the FUCK did they bid against themselves and get to that amount of guaranteed money?

People are so stupid sometimes.
 

Beomoose

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Good for Cam, I sincerely hope this works out well for him and he gets a chance to be A good QB again.

People are free to crap on Bill's GM chops, but there's plenty worse out there.
 

Swedgin

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How the FUCK did they bid against themselves and get to that amount of guaranteed money?

People are so stupid sometimes.
Because Cam had some degree of internal leverage - i.e. a willingness not to play at all this season. This is not a guy stuck on a practice squad with little in the way of career earnings.
 

axx

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It seems weird though to have given up a second round pick for Darnold. You would’ve wanted to have at least seen glimpses in his previous three seasons, as in w Wentz. But w Darnold I think we all know what we did see.
A second round pick was a bad idea but finding out if he sucks of if its the Jets had some intrigue.

Cam is so toast that if Darnold comes back I wouldn't be surprised if Darnold finishes up the season.
 

The Raccoon

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I really like all of that deal:
Good for Cam, good for the Pats and I don't give a shit about the Panthers (or their cap situation), but will happily root for them in most games now when Cam is playing.