Could Cam Newton solve Tennessee Titans QB problem?

Could the Tennessee Titans make a trade for Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton?

With the Tennessee Titans’ decision on who will be the starting quarterback between Marcus Mariota and Ryan Tannehill for the Week 7 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers, there is still a lot of uncertainty at the position, with neither quarterback really seeming to be the true answer.

With the trade deadline two weeks away, here’s a crazy idea: What if the Titans traded for a quarterback? Namely, Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton?

Newton has not played since the Panthers’ Week 2 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers where he suffered a foot injury. In the two games he’s started (both losses), he is 50-of-89 for 572 yards, zero touchdowns, and one interception.

Since his absence, the Panthers have been lead by former undrafted free agent quarterback Kyle Allen, who has won all four of his starts and has gone 80-of-122 for 901 yards, seven touchdowns, and zero interceptions.

Newton is expected to be back after the Panthers’ bye week this week, and most people would assume that he would get his starting job back, but with how well Allen has played in his absence, it isn’t too far-fetched to think that Newton’s time in Carolina could be coming to an end soon.

Newton’s statistics have dropped since his 2015-16 MVP season, but maybe a chance of scenery could be just what he needs?

For what it’s worth, Newton was, to say the least, a big fan of the late Steve McNair, a Titans legend, when he was younger.

Regardless of what you think of Newton, he is much more proven than Mariota or Tannehill as far as success in the league. Along with winning the MVP award in 2015, he was also named NFL offensive player of the year that same season. He also was named an NFL All-Pro that year, and has made it to three Pro Bowls (2013, 2015, 2017).

The problem with Newton, like both Mariota and Tannehill, has been his health for the past two seasons. He had surgery to repair a partially torn rotator cuff in his throwing shoulder in March of 2017, and that same shoulder bothered him throughout the 2018 season.

Having dealt with Mariota’s injury history from the previous four seasons, would the Titans really want to deal with Newton’s injury history?

Even beyond injuries, Newton doesn’t solve the Titans’ offensive line woes, as the unit has given up a league-high 29 sacks so far this season.

Newton is under contract with the Panthers through 2020, but according to Sportrac they would save $19.1M if they release or trade him after the season, while only losing $2M in dead cap space.

If the TItans were to go after Cam Newton, they would be much better served waiting until after this season to do so. For now, the Titans will have to rely on either Mariota or Tannehill going forward.