The health of New England Patriots quarterback Cam Newton will be one of the biggest storylines during the 2020 NFL season.
Is Cam Newton healthy enough to play for the Patriots right now?
It’s a big question, especially because there will be a heated competition for the starting quarterback spot in New England between Newton and second-year former fourth-round pick Jarrett Stidham.
Answering questions in his latest mailbag for The Athletic, NFL insider Jay Glazer made it clear he believes Newton is ready to roll.
“I think Cam Newton is healthy now, it’s just that teams weren’t able to get an up-close look at him, which many wanted because of the severity of the foot and the shoulder injuries and how long the shoulder injury lasted. They wanted to poke and prod. But I do think he’s healthy now.”
For what it’s worth, the videos Newton has shared of his workouts this offseason give every indication he is fully healthy.
He’s also highly motivated.
Cam Newton worth more than his cheap one-year contract
The deal that Newton signed with the Patriots is nowhere near what he’s truly worth.
Newton is guaranteed just $550,000 for 2020. The contract has a maximum value of $7.5 million, with a base salary of just $1.05 million. There are incentives. Newton can earn $700,000 in roster bonuses if he is active all 16 games, and there is $5.75 million in incentives.
As noted by Spotrac, here’s a breakdown of Newton’s potential incentive money.
- Playing Time Incentives:
13%: $250,000
20%: $500,000
30%: $750,000
40%: $1M
50%: $1.25M
60%: $1.5M
60% + Playoffs: $1.75M
70%: $1.75M
70% + Playoffs: $2.25M
80%: $2M
80% + Playoffs: $3M
90%: $2.25M
90% + Playoffs: $3.75M - Pro Bowl: $500,000
- All-Pro: $500,000
- Playoff Win w/ 50% Playing Time: $250,000 (Max $1M)
For a guy who has won an NFL MVP trophy and took a team to the Super Bowl, what Newton is making this season is a paltry amount. But as he said recently, for him it’s not about money this season — it’s about respect.
Cam Newton has put up elite NFL stats
Since being selected No. 1 overall in 2011 out of Auburn, Newton has certainly lived up to the hype. When healthy, he is among the most exciting playmakers the NFL has to offer.
He’s also put up some fantastic stats over the course of his career. In 125 games, Newton has racked up 29,041 yards and 182 touchdowns passing, adding another 4,806 yards and 58 touchdowns on the ground.