Joe Flacco Getting Signed Before Cam Newton is a Bad Look for the NFL

Surprising NFL news broke Friday that the New York Jets had agreed to a one-year deal with Joe Flacco. The veteran quarterback remains injured and is heading to the Jets to compete, and surely win, the backup spot behind Sam Darnold.

Flacco to the Jets is not exactly a world-breaking story. However, it is insane to think that the team went with him when Cam Newton remains on the open market.

The only explanation is that Newton is only looking to sign somewhere that will allow him to compete for the starting job. But those opportunities are few and far between and it is hard to believe he would sit out instead of taking a backup job if he received an offer.

The main concern with Newton is his foot. Recent workouts seem to show he is ready to go. Yet Flacco is recovering from neck surgery and he received a deal from the Jets. Fans must also remember that someone like Flacco stands out as a nice trade chip during the season if other quarterbacks go down with injuries. The same is true about Jameis Winston and would be true about Newton if he could get an opportunity.

Flacco is older than Newton and is well past his prime. If Newton is healthy and teams continue to pass on him, the NFL has a major problem on its hands.