Chicago Bears: 5 splash trades to explore at quarterback
By Ryan Heckman
Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers
Out of all the guys on this list, the one that should excite you the most is Cam Newton — by far and away the best option of the five. Now, this might be a long shot, but the Panthers might have an intriguing decision on their hands.
Backup quarterback Kyle Allen is 5-0 as a starter (4-0 this season) in place of Newton, and has looked like a competent NFL starter. The Panthers are actually an NFC contender at the moment, mostly due to their defense and the play of Christian McCaffrey.
Cam Newton trade whispers begin with significant AFC interest https://t.co/oEsM7KWQC2 pic.twitter.com/KrguIRtwOC
— New York Post (@nypost) October 14, 2019
Newton is in the fourth year of a 5-year, $103.8 million contract with the Panthers. Next year, he holds a cap hit of roughly $21 million. Needless to say, the Bears would need to figure out how to fit his financials into place. But, it would be well worth it.
While he is oft-injured, Newton is a force to be reckoned with when healthy. One of the league’s best dual-threat quarterbacks and probably the best pure goal-line back (regardless of position) in the NFL, Newton would be incredibly intriguing on the Bears.
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In order to land him, though, I would guess the Bears have to give up a package including a first-round pick (assuming the Panthers would consider trading him). The Bears do not hold a pick in the first round of the 2020 Draft, so it would have to be a 2021 first-rounder — along with one more pick, most likely.