NFL Rumors: Panthers, Cam Newton to start work on contract extension?
By Bryan Rose
Although the season ended in disappointment for the Carolina Panthers and Cam Newton, the future is bright and the organization wants to make sure their signal caller is a part of that moving forward.
According to the Charlotte Observer, it’s expected the Panthers will engage in contract extension talks with their quarterback in the near future.
"But Gettleman’s first priority this winter will be coming to terms with Newton, who’s entering the final year of his four-year, $22 million rookie deal. Newton was the No. 1 pick in the 2011 draft class that had its rookie deals greatly reduced under the new collective bargaining agreement."
Newton does have a fifth year option on his contract, but exercising that would pay Newton an average of the top ten paid quarterbacks in the league and could possibly make it more difficult to re-sign him down the road.
It’s expected Newton and the Panthers will begin discussions on a deal similar to that of Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford, who received a five-year, $76 million dollar extension recently.