Panthers Plan to 'Move Forward' With Cam Newton

The offseason continues to be a wild ride for the Carolina Panthers

Just when you thought the Panthers offseason couldn't get any crazier, here we are. 

On Monday night, Benjamin Allbright of the Pro Football Network reported that there had been "increasing chatter" of the Panthers making a push for the No. 1 pick. Then on Tuesday morning, NFL.com's Ian Rapoport reported that the Panthers are "moving forward with Cam Newton as their starting quarterback."

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

With those two entirely different reports, it makes things extremely interesting. Does this mean that Carolina is willing to keep Newton and still find a way to acquire the No. 1 overall pick? Maybe. Or is this all just front office talk? This could be a situation where the Panthers want to stay on "good terms" with Newton if they fail to reach a deal with the Bengals.

Earlier this month on Panther Maven, we discussed the three reasons why the Panthers should keep Newton. The most important reason is to "bridge the gap" to the future. Let's face it, Newton is a one-of-a-kind quarterback, but he's getting older and with the amount of injuries he has suffered, it's hard to tell how long he will continue playing. With only one year remaining on his current deal, it makes the most sense to let him play out the remainder of his contract and re-evaluate the situation a year from now. There is talent on the current roster and with a healthy Cam Newton, maybe this team is back in the playoff hunt. Trading Newton will only be beneficial if you are getting a veteran in return who can manage the offense for a couple of years before turning the keys over to a younger option. 

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