The man who drafted Panthers quarterback Cam Newton to Carolina in 2011 broke the most important Newton news in quite some time on Monday morning.Former general manager Marty Hurney, a co-operator and co-host on ESPN 730 AM, used the outlet’s Twitter account to reveal:

Two league sources then confirmed to BBR Hurney’s original report, which said the deal could be done as soon as Monday or Tuesday, and: The issue of a long-term deal between the Panthers and Newton hasn’t been a question of if, but when.Some reports have said Newton’s side has been waiting for Russell Wilson and Andrew Luck to “reset” the quarterback market, but that hasn’t been much of a factor. Wilson’s contract likely won’t look similar to Newton’s, and the Colts aren’t in a rush to tear up Luck’s relatively cheap rookie deal to give him huge money for at least another year.The bigger sticking point was if the Panthers were ready to get to a number Newton wanted now instead of waiting to see how he performs in 2015. And if they weren’t, he’d be willing to bet on himself, with the possibility of earning a much bigger payday with an extended postseason run.But considering Hurney’s strong ties to Newton and many in the NFL, it’s now a safe bet the Panthers’ franchise quarterback will be locked in with a new deal by the middle of the week.