Patriots: Bill Belichick Strikes Again With Cam Newton Contract Details
By Adam Weinrib
The Cam Newton contract details are out, and they’re a steal for the Patriots. Bill Belichick just owned the NFL again.
A lot of people were angry when they learned the Patriots were paying only $7.5 million for the services of their second straight former MVP under center.
Well, those people are going to want to sit down for this one.
Yes, with all incentives reached, Cam Newton can max out at $7.5 million for his full season in New England. But there’s a reason that all the news about Newton’s deal called it “incentive-laden,” because…DAMN, there are a lot of incentives.
In the 1-year deal for #Patriots QB Cam Newton, the team guaranteed him just $550K — on a $1.05M total base. The definition of low-risk. The reward comes in $700k in per-game rosters bonuses and another $5.75M in incentives. The max is $7.5M in all.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 2, 2020
Yes, the guarantee here is a little more than half a million bucks, a sum total that I, as an NFL GM, would be willing to pay just about anyone, let alone Cam Newton.
Of course, he’s likely to meet the per-game roster bonuses, because even in a world where Jarrett Stidham has himself the two-game preseason of a lifetime, Newton will likely make it through the full season on the Pats’ active roster. If he has the kind of comeback year we expect of him, too, the other incentives will also be met.
But looking at the official breakdown…it’s clear Newton was simply looking for a chance. It’s also well-reported at this point that he didn’t receive a formal offer from any team other than the Patriots. New England knew they had a chance at an exceptional bargain, and they look full advantage.
Newton, meanwhile, has already been spotted trying to create a rapport with Mohamed Sanu, his former NFC South rival, just a few hours after the announcement of the contract. Clearly, he’s motivated to help elevate his embattled teammates.
https://twitter.com/SavageBoston/status/1278411298766819331?s=20
Newton’s play on the field certainly merits more money than he’s currently guaranteed. But Bill Belichick cornered a target, watched the rest of the NFL dissipate as job opportunities were filled over the course of many months, and struck at the very last moment to add Newton on an extreme bargain.
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Classic Belichick, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.