Cam Newton next team odds: Seahawks best fit for former MVP
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Most NFL teams appear to have their rosters set heading into training camps but one big-name free agent is still without a home. Though Cam Newton's resume includes a Super Bowl appearance and a Most Valuable Player award, so far, no team has showed serious interest in signing him.
Newton will find a team eventually, but the list of candidates is dwindling. Here are the odds to sign Newton, along with a breakdown of the field.
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Redskins | +300 |
| Steelers | +450 |
| Broncos | +500 |
| Seahawks | +500 |
| Patriots | +500 |
| Bears | +750 |
| Jaguars | +750 |
| Raiders | +1000 |
| Chargers | +2000 |
| 49ers | +2000 |
The list of possible suitors for Newton is short after virtually every team has its starter and backup locked in heading into the season. The one team most associated with Newton is the New England Patriots (+500). Bill Belichick reportedly inquired about Newton early in the free-agency process but didn't make a move. While Cam makes sense on paper for a team that lost Tom Brady, he may not be a great fit in New England's tight-lipped locker room. While Belichick could certainly revisit signing Newton before September, the Patriots are more likely to enter Week 1 with Jarrett Stidham and Brian Hoyer as their top two quarterbacks.
The more probable scenario is Newton going the Jameis Winston route and signing as a backup for a team with a veteran quarterback in place. The two top candidates are the Pittsburgh Steelers (+450) and Seattle Seahawks (+500). Ben Roethlisberger is coming off elbow surgery, and while the team is still high on backup Mason Rudolph, Pittsburgh could opt to add Newton at the right price, providing more depth behind the 38-year-old Roethlisberger.
The Seahawks are interesting because they have very little behind starter Russell Wilson. Geno Smith is the backup and undrafted rookie Anthony Gordon is the only other quarterback on the roster. Newton would obviously be a big upgrade over either of those two as Wilson's backup.
Teams to avoidThe Washington Redskins are the +300 favorites, but former Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera has shown no interest in adding Newton thus far. The Redskins seem content to go into the season with Dwayne Haskins and Kyle Allen as their top two quarterbacks, making Washington overvalued at +300.
Like the Redskins, the Denver Broncos (+500) and Jacksonville Jaguars are each starting young quarterbacks and don't want the distraction of Newton being the No. 2. Jacksonville recently signed Mike Glennon to back up Gardner Minshew, likely taking the team out of the Newton sweepstakes.
The Broncos are all-in on starter Drew Lock but only have Jeff Driskel behind him. It's still difficult to imagine a team with a second-year quarterback bringing in Newton as the backup. There are better options than Denver on the board.
The Chicago Bears at +750 makes no sense at all. The Bears already have a quarterback logjam with Mitchell Trubisky and Nick Foles battling to be the starting quarterback, yet Chicago is tied with Jacksonville with the third-shortest odds to sign Newton. There is virtually no chance that the Bears do so.
Best betSeahawks +500
While Newton's resume speaks for itself, signing the sometimes high-maintenance quarterback comes with risk. The team that brings him in will almost certainly have a veteran quarterback, established head coach, and strong locker room culture. The Seahawks fit that description and the team could really use an upgrade at backup quarterback over Smith.
Pete Carroll is the type of coach who takes risks on players, and signing Newton would be similar to the New Orleans Saints adding Winston for veteran insurance. Newton is running out of options but he'll likely have to start 2020 as a backup, and Seattle at +500 makes the most sense.
Thomas Casale is theScore's supervising editor of sports betting. He's been following the sports betting industry for almost 30 years. A devoted fan of the wishbone offense, Thomas bets on all sports but specializes in college football, NFL, and college basketball. Find him on Twitter @TheTomCasale.
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