Bills Central

Cam Newton Lists Bills' Josh Allen as QB He’d Be Willing To Back Up

The former MVP is looking to return to the NFL, and listed Buffalo Bills' quarterback Josh Allen as one he would be willing to be an understudy for.

Tim Kelly

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Cam Newton doesn't believe that there are 32 quarterbacks in the NFL currently that are better than him, but is seemingly aware that after not playing in 2022, he may have to accept a backup job to get his foot back in the door.

To that end, Newton listed 12 quarterbacks he would be willing to back up, and among them was Buffalo Bills' quarterback Josh Allen:

The problem with signing Newton as a backup for some teams is that he has a larger-than-life personality and there are plenty of players in the league currently that looked up to him when they were in high school or college. Even if Newton is the perfect solider, his presence alone could become a distraction if the starter falters at all.

However, Allen is entrenched as one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. He has his long-term contract in Buffalo. This is conceivably one of the spots where Newton could return to the NFL without being perceived as a threat to the starter. 

Additionally, Bills' coach Sean McDermott has a history with Newton. McDermott was the defensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers from 2011-2016, the first six seasons of Newton's career. McDermott may very well be comfortable with Kyle Allen and Matt Barkley as the team's backups, but he's well aware of what Newton can bring to a team. 

What's also worth noting is that Newton ran for 12 touchdowns in 2020 with the Patriots, and tacked on another five in parts of eight games for the Panthers in 2021. If he was behind a cemented starting quarterback, not only could he be injury insurance, but he could be utilized as a red zone and short-yardage weapon on the ground. And Buffalo fits that bill -- no pun intended -- especially if the Bills want Allen to limit how many big hits he takes. 

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Tim Kelly
TIM KELLY

Tim Kelly is a contributor to SI's NFL team sites. Additionally, Kelly covers the Philadelphia Phillies as the Editorial Director for PhilliesNation.com. Previously, Kelly has been a producer at SportsRadio 94 WIP and a content producer for Audacy Sports, with written content syndicated to WIP, WFAN, WEEI and some of the biggest sports radio stations in the country. Kelly also has contributed to Bleacher Report, Just Baseball, Sports Talk Philly and Section 215, FanSided's Philadelphia affiliate. Kelly is a 2018 graduate of Bloomsburg University, with a major in Mass Communications and a minor in political science. 

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