Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton agreed to a five-year, $103.8 million extension with the club on Tuesday. In doing so, he becomes the first upper-echelon young signal caller to agree to a new deal with his team.
While a bit ludicrous on the surface, this deal seems to be fair-market value for a successful young signal caller in today’s NFL. It also sets the market for Andrew Luck and Russell Wilson, both of whom are slated to receive extensions far outpacing Newton’s in the not-so-distant future.
Here are some numbers regarding Newton’s contract:
* The $60 million guaranteed ranks Newton second behind Colin Kaepernick of the San Francisco 49ers. Though, it must be noted that Kaepernick’s deal is not fully guaranteed, and allows the 49ers to get out from under it after each season without a cap him. It remains to be seen how Newton’s guarantees will be structured.
* The $67.6 million payout in the first three years of Newton’s deal is the most during that span in the history of the NFL. This also seems to make the full $67.6 million nearly guaranteed. Carolina isn’t releasing Newton over the next two years.
* Newton’s average annual salary of $20.76 million ranks him third among NFL players behind Aaron Rodgers ($22.0 million) and Ben Roethlisberger ($21.85 million).
* Assuming Newton starts all 16 games over the next three seasons, he will earn $1.41 million per start.
* Based on Newton’s four-year NFL averages, he will earn $5,757.07 per passing yard in a given season.
* He will also earn about $1 million per touchdown pass.
* Newton will earn $30 million on the first year of the deal.
Yeah, Newton got paid.
Photo: USA Today Sports