One of the biggest storylines of the 2020 NFL offseason is the slew of veteran quarterbacks that are expected to be on the market. Now it seems like one of those names can be removed from the list as the Carolina Panthers and their new regime are planning to stick with quarterback Cam Newton. As a result, their Super Bowl futures sit at +8000 and their regular season win total is at 6.5. Are the Panthers NFL futures worth a look now that they\u2019re not planning to rebuild at the position or are they a team to fade? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Panthers really only had two options with Newton as his $19 million salary cap hit made him mostly untradable. They had the option to either cut him outright and try to save as much money as possible or they had the choice to keep him. They went with the latter as this will probably give them the best chance to succeed in 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The first question that has to be answered is whether or not Newton is healthy. As of right now, the impression that new Panthers head coach Matt Rhule is giving us is that he is progressing nicely through rehab and will be ready for the start of training camp. Now the key for him is to stay healthy, which is something he\u2019s really struggled to do over the last couple of seasons. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The good news for those looking at Panthers futures is that Newton gives them the best chance to win. If you have money on the Panthers regular season win total over, you don\u2019t want Kyle Allen back at quarterback as we\u2019ve already seen that he simply doesn\u2019t cut it. The other option was to look in the draft but the Panthers don\u2019t appear to be in position to nab one of the top prospects like Joe Burrow or Tua Tagovailoa. If they go with someone like Justin Herbert, Jordan Love or Jake Fromm, it means the team is going into a full rebuild; that\u2019s clearly not the plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Newton is still a quality starter when healthy. He still has a big arm, some mobility and might be revived in a new offense. With Christian McCaffrey coming back along with D.J. Moore and Curtis Samuel, this unit could see a sizable turnaround if Rhule and offensive coordinator Joe Brady know what they\u2019re doing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The other key factor here is that if the Panthers are sticking with Newton, it gives them more flexibility in the NFL Draft and free agency. If they don\u2019t have to spend a first-round pick on a passer, they can look for a top-flight cornerback, a linebacker to replace Luke Kuechly or someone on the defensive line to help stellar rookie Brian Burns. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
With Newton back along with a new coaching staff, the Panthers could possibly be a threat for seven wins and the over here if they can address their defense. Without Newton and someone like Allen back under center or a raw rookie, under would probably be the way to go with their regular season win total.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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