Seahawks Keeping An Eye On Cam Newton As Russell Wilson Remains Sidelined

The Seahawks are "keeping tabs" on free agent quarterback Cam Newton, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.

Newton, 32, was released by the Patriots in the days leading up to the regular season, in a move that shocked the NFL world. New England head coach/general manager Bill Belichick signed Newton the previous offseason, where he started 15 games in 2020. Newton went 8-7, completing 65.8% of his passes 2,657 yards with eight touchdowns and 10 interceptions. It was the first time in his career that the former MVP threw more picks than touchdowns, a sign that his time on top is over.

Injuries have played a part, as a nagging shoulder injury in 2018-2019 has left Newton a shell of himself. The Seahawks are an obvious fit with Russell Wilson on injured reserve with a finger injury, eligible to return in Week 10 against the Packers. Backup quarterback Geno Smith held the fort down admirably in Sunday night's 23-20 overtime loss to the Steelers, completing 23-32 passes for 209 yards and one touchdown.

The other quarterback on Seattle's active roster is Jake Luton, who started three games last season for the Jaguars last season in place of an injured Gardner Minshew. Newton would represent an upgrade over Luton and arguably Smith, although there are factors that could prohibit it from transpiring.

Newton would have to come in and learn an entirely new playbook to be ready to play, which realistically would happen around when Wilson is ready to play. That doesn't seem like a worthy investment for Seattle, who would have to pay more money for Newton's services than you normally would for a free agent during midseason. Any team that signs Newton will have to pay him more than $1.5 million, according to Pelissero.

Newton also revealed that he is fully vaccinated after refusing to take part while he was with New England. With his vaccination status, Newton can join any team right away as opposed to waiting five days to undergo testing.