Carolina Panthers: Five free-agent quarterbacks the team could target

As Cam Newton’s future with the Carolina Panthers remains in question, the Panthers could turn to free agency to address the position.

Soon after Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton went down for the year following a Week Two loss to Tampa Bay, many began to question his future with the team. To replace Newton, second-year quarterback Kyle Allen stepped in and won Carolina’s next four games in a row, leading many to wonder whether he could be the team’s quarterback of the future. His next eight starts, however, were far less encouraging, as Allen turned the ball over 19 times, while accounting for just 12 total touchdowns. Prior to Week 16’s matchup with the Colts, he was benched in favor of rookie Will Grier who, like Allen, faced his share of struggles.

If one thing was clear from the Panthers’ 2019 campaign, it’s that neither Allen nor Grier are likely the long-term answer at quarterback. Allen struggled to make good decisions with the football—especially under pressure—and fumbled the fourth-most times of any player this season. Grier played just a game and a half before getting hurt; however, during that time he was doomed by rookie mistakes, and exited after a dismal first half against New Orleans in Week 17. Allen will be a restricted free agent this offseason, while Grier will enter his second year as a pro in 2020.

While Newton’s future with the franchise remains up in the air, it seems as though the only way the Panthers would be willing to part ways with the former number-one pick would be through a trade. Because of that, it appears unlikely at this point that the team would outright cut the 2015 MVP. If a trade is completed, though, the Panthers would likely look to either the draft or free agency to find their next signal-caller. In other words, it won’t be Allen or Grier. With that being said, here are five free-agent quarterbacks that Carolina could target this offseason.