The Steelers need a backup quarterback who can take over for Ben Roethlisberger on a whim and possibly lead them into the future.
Cam Newton is the guy.
The Patriots shocked the NFL world Tuesday when they released Newton, less than 48 hours after he had played with New England’s first team in its preseason finale against the Giants. Bill Belichick treated Newton like the presumptive starter all summer, having him start all three preseason contests.
But yet, the Patriots cut him. Another team’s discarded veteran is another team’s potential treasure.
Make no mistake: Newton is not the same quarterback he was years ago. Coming off two season-ending injuries — right shoulder surgery in 2018 and a Lisfranc fracture in 2019 — the Patriots signed him to a discounted one-year deal last June. And for the first three weeks it worked out. Newton completed 68% of his passes for 714 yards, two touchdowns and a QB rating of 89.7. He was a threat to run as well, finding the end zone four times as a rusher.
Then he came down with Covid. Newton’s second half of the season was abysmal, as he struggled to make simple throws and often just fired balls into the ground. He finished the season with three touchdowns and eight interceptions over a 10-week span. The only saving grace was a meaningless Week 17 performance against the hapless Jets, in which he threw three touchdowns.
And you thought Roethlisberger ended last year on a sour note?
But even with those red flags, Newton still possesses more immediate upside than Mason Rudolph or Dwayne Haskins. We’re talking about an MVP and Heisman trophy winner here. Their resumes aren’t even in the same stratosphere.
Newton also fits with the Steelers’ offense. Standing at 6-foot-5 and weighing 245 pounds, he’s a physical quarterback — just like Roethlisberger. He’s the kind of veteran with whom Mike Tomlin might feel comfortable in Roethlisberger’s absence.
We saw what Rudolph could do in that spot, and it wasn’t pretty. His run at the end of 2019 was disastrous. The slow-footed passer completed 59.8% of his passes with seven interceptions and a 71.7 QB rating.
Even Newton finished with better numbers last season (82.9 QBR), struggles be damned.
If the Steelers are going to be competitive — and here’s hoping they will — they’ll once again be picking in the latter half of the first round. That’s not usually the spot where franchise quarterbacks are found. This year, for example, four pass-throwers were picked in the top 15.
After the Patriots selected Mac Jones, a quarterback wasn’t drafted until the Buccaneers selected Kyle Trask at No. 62 overall.
At 32 years old, Newton could bridge the Steelers from Roethlisberger to whoever comes next.
Despite his release, Belichick has an apparent affinity for Newton. After all, he praised him throughout last season, and brought him back this offseason.
Newton’s fortunes might’ve shifted when he missed three practices last week due to a misunderstanding of Covid-19 protocols. His absence forced him to miss valuable joint practices last week with the Giants. Belichick takes those more seriously than preseason games, according to Jeff Howe of The Athletic.
As an unvaccinated player, it would’ve been risky for the Patriots to start Newton at QB, because the NFL’s guidelines stringent guidelines could render him inactive at any time. Obviously, that would be a risk for the Steelers, too.
But as a backup, they won’t be counting on Newton every week, and they would almost certainly keep a third quarterback if they added him to the roster. Plus, maybe Newton gets the shot. His NFL career could depend on it.
With just nine days to go until kick-off, Newton can be signed at an extreme discount. In other words, he’s the definition of a low-risk, high-reward signing.
Let’s see the Steelers do it.