Panthers Reportedly Flip Flop and Plan to Move Forward With Cam Newton as Starting QB

With former Baylor head coach Matt Rhule and LSU passing game coordinator Joe Brady now running the show with the Carolina Panthers, most expected quarterback Cam Newton to be sent elsewhere as the franchise undergoes a major facelift.

That demolition of the Panthers' roster will have to wait until 2021, it seems, as Rhule is now leaning towards keeping Newton, who is now five years removed from his MVP and Super Bowl appearance as the starting quarterback in Carolina.

A lot can still happen in the coming months, but as of now, the #Panthers are moving forward with Cam Newton as their starting QB, sources say. While his foot is healing well, it will be several months until it’s game-ready — a timeline that complicates any potential trade.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 25, 2020

Sources claim Rhule was impressed with Newton's drive as he worked his way back from another injury.

Newton played in just two ineffective games, both losses, before another injury cost him the remainder of the 2019 season.

Many suspected that Rhule, who has a reputation for building teams from the ground up, would use the No. 7 overall pick on a quarterback in order to get "his guy" in Carolina, and that scenario isn't totally out of the realm of possibility, but it appears No. 1 will be back behind center for the 2020 season, at a minimum.

It’s good to hear that the #Panthers are bringing back Cam Newton for the last year of his deal. That’s all I wanted: let him play out his deal and if he plays well, extend him.

It’s gonna be fun to see Newton in Joe Brady’s offense.
— Jared Feinberg (@JrodDraftScout) February 25, 2020

With Rhule on a seven-year deal, he'll likely have the authority to cut bait with the star QB if he starts to flounder. However, Newton was among the best quarterbacks in football the last time he was healthy, and going from Mike Shula and Norv Turner to Brady could be the secret ingredient that resurrects his career.