Cam Newton's injury history is concerning if WFT is interested originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
For the second straight offseason, Cam Newton and the Washington Football Team are appearing in the same conversations. It's not a major surprise, given Newton's connections to Washington's coaching staff and his need for a new squad.
Whether or not 2021 brings the veteran to Washington is unknown, as his performance during a majority of the 2020 season certainly did not help his prospects. Still, some believe there is a fit. That includes NFL Network's Good Morning Football crew, which sees Newton's familiarity with Ron Rivera and his desire to not let his recent poor showings define him as a reason for Washington to take a chance.
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Brian Mitchell agrees that those are great factors, but none of it truly matters if Newton can't prove one thing: That his arm is healthy.
“Familiarity is not going to stop the ball from bouncing at the foot of receivers four yards in front of them," Mitchell said on 106.7 The Fan's BMitch & Finlay with NBC Sports Washington's JP Finlay.
“I need to see that that arm is back," Mitchell said. Cause you watch how he sets up and something just doesn’t seem right...If something is not fixed with his arm, all that other stuff is just plain crap.”
Newton's arm has been the subject of concern for multiple seasons now. After getting surgery on the rotator cuff in his throwing arm in 2017 and his shoulder in 2019, the veteran quarterback and 2015 MVP has struggled to regain the strength and accuracy he once possessed.
While there have still been flashes of strong play, Mitchell saw too many instances during Newton's 2020 season with the New England Patriots in which it was clear there were still problems with his right arm. The ball wasn't being delivered the way it needed to be, and Newton threw for just 2,657 yards, eight touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
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The rushing ability and physical dominance was still there, but with his inability to really move the ball down the field, Newton's overall performance was greatly hindered.
Therefore, Mitchell feels that the only way to bring Newton in is to guarantee that the arm is healthier and that he will be able to make all the throws with zip and accuracy. Even then, Mitchell doesn't see Newton coming to Washington to be the starter, but rather as a last resort if nothing else goes right in the quarterback room.
"The way I see a Cam Newton possibly coming here...if everything failed with all the other quarterbacks," Mitchell said.
“I don’t think it’s going to be bringing him in for a certain level of a contract and a deal like he’s the guy," Mitchell said. "I don’t see that.”
For Finlay, looking back on past decisions also sheds light on where Washington and Newton stand.
"In 2020 they could have signed him. Nobody signed him, he was cheap," Finlay said. “Not only that B, but they traded for another Panthers quarterback. They traded for Kyle Allen and had to give up a pick to get him when they could have signed Cam without giving up a pick.”
So if Washington preferred the likes of an unproven player like Allen over Newton prior to last season, is the team really going to try and add the veteran now, after a year filled with struggles and in an offseason where Washington really needs to hit at the position? That's hard to imagine.
To Mitchell, the fact that Washington has stayed away from Newton this long is a sign that the team may have an idea that there is a bigger problem with the arm than the quarterback is sharing.
"There’s something with that shoulder, man. It just troubles me," Mitchell said.
Finlay responded with an interesting point, noting that a great deal of Washington's current medical team was in Carolina when Newton was there.
“And you know what, the same medical staff that was in Carolina with Cam is here in Washington," Finlay said. "So they probably know what’s going on more than others.”
While Newton's connections to the franchise and work ethic are great for Washington, what the organization truly needs at this time is a quarterback that can produce. With questions still surrounding the arm, Mitchell and Finlay don't see a perfect path to the team taking a risk with the veteran.
