5 teams that should sign Cam Newton by sundown

2 of 5

LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 29: Head coach Sean McVay of the Los Angeles Rams looks on from the sidelines in the first half of the game against the Arizona Cardinals at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 29, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /

4. Los Angeles Rams

Five years after the Carolina Panthers made Cam Newton the first overall pick in the ’01 NFL Draft, the Los Angeles Rams traded up that April and used the No. 1 selection on University of California quarterback Jared Goff. It was a rough rookie campaign for the talented prospect. He finally got his chance that year and was in a confined offense and under the command of two different head coaches in Jeff Fisher and eventually John Fassel. Seven games and starts added up to five TD passes and nine turnovers

Enter young Sean McVay in 2017. Over the next two seasons, Goff and the Rams would be playoff-bound. Despite a late-season slump and a shaky playoff run in ’18, the young quarterback threw for more than three times as many scores (60) as interceptions (19) in 31 regular-season outings. All told, Goff turned over the ball a combined 27 times in those aforementioned contests.

But this past season, the Rams went from 13 wins and a Super Bowl appearance to a 9-7 finish and third place in the NFC West. The fourth-year signal-caller threw for 4,638 yards and 22 scores but was picked off a career-high 16 times and lost half of his 10 fumbles. So would Cam Newton pose a threat to Goff’s starting job? McVay’s current backup quarterback is John Wolford. More importantly, Newton may benefit from the talented young coach.

Next: No. 3

Home/NFL Free Agency