NFL Rumors: Cam Newton Signing Seen As Part Of New England Patriots’ ‘Compensatory’ Plan

KEY POINTS

Cam Newton agreed to sign a one-year deal with the New England Patriots
The signing could just be a part of a "compensatory" plan for the Patriots
The NFL has sanctioned the Patriots for a videotaping incident in December

Cam Newton has finally left the market as he agreed to suit up for New England. The former MVP reportedly signed a one-year contract worth up to $7.5 million, but there is speculation that the deal is not the end goal for the Patriots.

In the aftermath of the NFL’s sanction on the Pats’ videotaping violation, the team has decided to acquire the services of the former Carolina Panther.

“Former NFL MVP Cam Newton has reached agreement on a one-year, incentive-laden deal with the New England Patriots,” Adam Shefter of ESPN wrote. “Newton now will step into the mix to try to help replace former Patriots’ QB Tom Brady.”

The Newton signing, per Shefter, could be exploited by the Patriots in their plan to regain a future pick, which they lost as part of the punishment for allegedly taking a clip of the Cincinnati Bengals’ sidelines during a match against the Cleveland Browns in December.

“This is very New England: Now if Cam Newton plays well in 2020, and leaves as a free agent, the Patriots could get back a compensatory 2022 third-round pick to help make up for 2021 third-round pick the NFL is taking away from New England for its videotape violation,” Shefter wrote.

The short-term deal is perhaps the ideal set up not just for Bill Belichick and his squad, but personally for Newton as well. The 31-year-old, who has been seeking for a starting QB spot, could use his ephemeral stint with the Patriots as a channel to prove that he is still the same signal-caller who once bossed around the league.

“It’ll be interesting to see if this is fundamentally an audition for Newton when it comes to his worthiness in the eyes of the league,” said Boston.com’s Christopher Price, who added that the three-time Pro Bowler could also pull off a “show-me contract” ploy for a longer deal with the Patriots.

But in his confirmatory Instagram post, it looks like the goal for Newton is to help New England, at least for now. After spending a topsy-turvy free agency since his release in March, Newton said he is excited to join the Patriots as he braces himself to compete at a high level again.