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Black and Blue Review

Black and Blue Review

Carolina Panthers News and Coverage for the Digital Age

Numbers to Know About Cam Newton’s Imminent Contract

Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton is expected to sign a new five-year contract worth more than $100 million as soon as Monday afternoon. But determining the true value of the deal takes more than dividing 100 by five to get 20 per season.Guaranteed money is the most important layer of a contract, and because of how some agents use some in the media, figuring out what’s FULLY guaranteed is key. For example, when Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill signed a new deal last month, some reports put his guarantees at $45 million. But more accurately, Tannehill received $21.5 million fully guaranteed at signing.According to league sources, the sense is Newton’s new deal will include a fully guaranteed figure north of $40 million. Here are some numbers to put that in context:

  • $55 million: If the Panthers had to resort to using their franchise tag on Newton, they would have owed him around $25 million in 2016 and $30 million in 2017.
  • $54 million: Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is the current pacesetter at his position. $54 million of the $110 million contract he signed in 2013 was fully guaranteed.
  • $50 million: This is the amount of guaranteed money Sam Bradford got in 2010, a year before Newton was the top pick of the first draft under the new CBA, which severely limited rookie contracts.
  • $42 million: Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan signed a 5-year, $104 million extension in 2013. $42 million of that was fully guaranteed. That figure is likely a good benchmark for what Newton’s side wanted to top. Other quarterbacks with similar guarantees: Matt Stafford ($41.5 million), Tony Romo ($40 million), Drew Brees ($40 million), Philip Rivers ($38.2 million), Jay Cutler ($38 million).
  • $30 million: Andy Dalton and Colin Kaepernick, who were part of Newton’s 2011 draft class, got deals first, but their contracts are much different. Even when combined, Dalton ($17 million) and Kaepernick’s ($13 million) true guarantees will be more than $10 million lower than Newton’s.
  • $14.67 million: This is technically an extension, so Newton’s new contract will essentially start in 2016 and run through the 2020 season. Under the terms of the fifth-year option he signed last spring, he was set to make $14.67 million in 2015. It’s unclear how the new deal will impact that number, but Carolina could gainsome immediate cap relief.
  • 31: Newton will be 31 when this extension runs out, so if he continues to improve, he’s set up for one more massive contract.
  • 5: Once Newton signs, he’ll be just the fifth quarterback currently under contract through 2020. The others: Tannehill, Kaepernick, Dalton, Cutler.

Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman will take some heat for giving Newton the third-most guaranteed money at his position, but Will Brinson of CBS Sports makes an important point here. The Panthers had to put Newton near the top now because soon, his deal will be bypassed by Andrew Luck, Russell Wilson and more.

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  • Klay Shrum

    Great info! Thanks Bill.

  • Klay Shrum

    Great info! Thanks Bill.

  • Dylan Bauer

    Is this strategy? I mean if Newton sets the market, it will severly hurt Seattle. And as you alluded to after the draft, Gettleman seems to building our team to combat them.

  • Dylan Bauer

    Is this strategy? I mean if Newton sets the market, it will severly hurt Seattle. And as you alluded to after the draft, Gettleman seems to building our team to combat them.

  • Daheixiong

    Great info once again! Can’t wait for the level and calculated responses given by the Twitter-sphere once all the details are released.

  • Daheixiong

    Great info once again! Can’t wait for the level and calculated responses given by the Twitter-sphere once all the details are released.