Should the Carolina Panthers Trade Cam Newton?

With Kyle Allen playing strong, should the Panthers explore trading Cam Newton?

With one more week remaining to the NFL trade deadline, what was once implausible now seems strangely possible. Though the team has made no official announcement, trade rumors continue to swirl around Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton. And while the purview of such-rumors was at one time restricted to fan discussion, the idea of trading the former #1 overall pick and 2015 league MVP has continued to grow.

To be clear, the odds of seeing an actual deal materialize are low: trading a prominent starting quarterback requires the right combination of desire, trade capital and cap flexibility from any potential partner. Certainly, a number of teams would see taking a shot on the dynamic signal-caller as a gamble worth taking: the attrition on quarterbacks in 2019 has been astounding, and a number of teams who could otherwise be championship contenders are stuck in the middle of the pack as a result.

Besides making heads of teams that could even negotiate in good faith to acquire Newton, any potential trade would require a ton of soul-searching from a Panthers franchise caught on a tightrope. When he left the starting role due to injury after the Week 2 loss to the Buccaneers, Newton’s Panthers were 0-2 and seemingly in danger of falling out of the playoff race early. The anemic passing attack began to draw whispers that Carolina might be preparing to move on from their starting quarterback after nine seasons.

Coming out of their bye week, the script has flipped. Carolina now finds itself riding a four-game win streak, one game off the pace by the division-leading New Orleans Saints and right in the thick of the NFC playoff picture. Under backup sensation Kyle Allen’s leadership, the offense has begun to roll thanks in no small part to the production of potential league-MVP Christian McCaffrey. A more consistent offense has helped take the strain off the defense, affording them the ability to begin generating sacks and takeaways at a stunning rate.

Though many debate the amount of credit due him, the fact remains that the Carolina Panthers have been a better football team through four weeks of Allen than the injury-riddled two weeks of Newton. As Newton’s injured foot continues to heal, this reality has forced head coach Ron Rivera to begin contemplating what was at one time unthinkable: keeping Newton as a healthy scratch in favor of the hot hand in Allen.

With Allen already announced as the starter for Carolina’s important showdown with the undefeated San Francisco 49ers in Week 8, the franchise approaches a crossroads. A strong performance from Allen against the 49ers would all but assure he remains the starter for the team moving forward. If Allen performs well, it would trigger an immediate debate within the front office over whether moving Newton is now a possibility. Even now, the arguments for and against such a move reveal the difficult decision ahead for the team.