The subject for the Chicago Bears remains firmly fixed on the quarterback. Not a surprise. It’s apparent to everybody that this position is far and away the one holding this team back from being a legitimate contender in the NFC. Mitch Trubisky had his chance to show everybody that what they saw last year was a taste of things to come. Instead he simply proved beyond a doubt that last year was likely his professional peak. His effectiveness has dropped through the basement and nothing the Bears have done to help is working. This is why names like Nick Foles, Teddy Bridgewater, and Cam Newton continue to swirl around them.
For many, the Newton possibility is intriguing. A freak of nature physically and former league MVP, the Carolina Panthers quarterback recently landed on IR dealing with a foot injury. In his place, backup Kyle Allen has lost only one game and engineered the offense under Norv Turner quite well. It has some thinking that he is a better fit for what they want to do, leading to persistent belief that Carolina may look to trade Newton in the offseason.
The Panthers refuse to entertain such an idea, but people aren’t stupid. Newton is older and expensive. This could be the teams’ chance to move on while he still has value elsewhere. That may explain why a number of people have come forward urging the Bears to make that move. Longtime Bleacher Report columnist Mike Freeman was among the most recent.
He isn’t alone. ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith joined that growing chorus. He went on First Take and specifically singled out the Bears as the team that has to make this deal happen.
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Cam Newton is not the answer for the Bears
Here’s the thing. Newton remains one of the most talented football players in the NFL. That is a fact. However, he’s going to be 31 in 2020. That might not sound like a lot but it’s important to keep in mind this guy has taken a hellacious beating in his career. Not just inside the pocket but outside it. In 2018 he had to undergo surgery on his right shoulder. Then this year he gets shut down again after fracturing the Lisfranc in his foot. It’s hard not to feel like his body might be breaking down on him.
Then there is his playing style.
Newton has a strong arm and the type of body that allows him to shrug off defenders and make plays off the cuff. However, when it comes to going through progressions, surveying the field and delivering on time and in rhythm? That’s never been his true strength. This makes him less than an ideal choice for Matt Nagy’s offensive system. Newton is at his best on a team that is committed to running the football. Nagy is a pass-first guy and will want a QB that can handle that.
Maybe the Bears feel differently but the odds do not favor them giving up a likely high draft choice and tons of money to secure Newtom.
