Why hasn't an NFL team signed Cam Newton yet?

Cam Newton is still a free agent

After getting cut by the New England Patriots, Cam Newton is still out there on the market as a free agent. The former MVP is a big name in the NFL world, but franchises aren't viewing him in the same way as casual fans.

Cam Newton was a special talent. He entered the league heralded as a once-in-a-generation player. After enjoying some success in Carolina, Newton played adequately for the Patriots in 2020. No one saw him getting cut by the team. The news shocked the NFL world, but did it surprise other franchises? There are a few reasons why Cam Newton is a free agent.

Newton on losing the job to Mac: "I look back at it, I was probably getting 2 reps to his 10 reps, and that’s why it was starting to make sense. Even though I was starting, that doesn’t necessarily mean nothing, and that’s where they did a good job of disguising it."

— Ben Volin (@BenVolin) September 10, 2021

Inuries and erratic passing

Cam Newton was never an elite passer. The magic of Newton's play was that he was built like a defensive end and ran like a safety. That made him almost impossible to stop on the ground. However, that physical style took its toll on Newton, and he suffered lots of injuries and concussions.

The injuries forced offenses to try and protect Newton as much as possible. However, they found that Newton is an inefficient passer. His career passer rating is an average of 85.8. Furthermore, his QBR numbers generally sit in the 50s. Newton has never looked like an elite-caliber passer.

It's a passing league, and Newton is a relic of another time. He is a below-average passer, and it is too late to remodel his skillset.

Is Newton a distraction

Cam Newton is a loud personality. He transcends football and is always on the lips of fans, reporters, and analysts. Teams can tolerate that from the starting quarterback, and they won't if it's coming from the backup quarterback.

Newton:"Can we be honest? The reason why they released me is because indirectly I was going to be a distraction, without being the starter. Just my aura. That’s my gift and my curse."Would he have accepted a role as Mac's backup?"I would’ve said absolutely."

— Ben Volin (@BenVolin) September 10, 2021

Backup quarterbacks are expected to sit in the background and not be heard or seen. Newton's charismatic personality and status as a former MVP and first-round pick make that an impossibility. A team won't want to sign Newton if all it brings is unwanted attention and press conferences getting bombarded with questions about Newton.

An awkward fit

If a team did sign Newton and wished to use his strengths, they'd need to rebuild the entire offense. Blocking receivers and two tight end sets would have to become the norm. That is a significant change from staying in 11 personnel and lining up in spread formation.

Cam Newton is no longer a franchise quarterback. No team in the NFL is willing to remodel its offense for a veteran player past his best. That is the critical reason why teams don't want to sign him.