Cam Newton Extension Talks Beginning?
Cam Newton is talking contract extension reports Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. This is the biggest thing that will happen for the Panthers this off season. Newton is the part of the first round of quarterbacks that were subjected to the new rookie salary cap. He was part of a wave of quarterbacks that had to defer their paydays down the road. That day is rapidly approaching and these quarterbacks may look to make up for lost time.
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The big contract of last year was Andy Dalton. The Panthers would probably love to do a deal similar to Dalton’s contract. Dalton’s deal ended up being 12.5 million a year for the first two years and then a possible further six years at near $16 million. Those last six years are basically year to year. This is probably the floor for the Panthers and Cam.
Other quarterbacks are about to hit their paydays. Russell Wilson and Andrew Luck could re-up this off season and Newton’s camp may want to see what that number will be first. Then the final number would likely be in between the Dalton deal and a theoretical Luck deal.
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The good quarterbacks around the league are making numbers around twenty million a year. Newton’s camp did not respond favorably with initial talks last year. Newton will make almost $15 million this year in the last year of his rookie deal.
Mike Fiametta of Sports Illustrated pointed out that Wilson may be negotiating the first fully guaranteed contract in NFL history, which would be a heck of precedent. It is hard to see guaranteed deals becoming a league-wide fad, but it could become a norm for quarterbacks or other really high value targets.
One final to consider would be whether it is a good idea to leave Newton hanging. He might be great in a contract year, but that will only jack up his price further.