Carolina Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer said Sam Darnold remains on target to be the team’s starting quarterback next season, but that doesn’t mean the door is closed on Cam Newton.
“The thing with Cam is it’s got to be a fit for us and it’s got to be a fit for him just as well,” Fitterer said Friday. “He’s looking for a certain opportunity. And the door’s still open for us. We’re very open to Cam. We’ll see where it goes. He knows where we stand. I think he and Matt (Rhule) had a really good conversation, from my understanding. So we’ll just see where it goes.”
Darnold started 11 games in 2021 for the Panthers, who lost 12 of their final 14 games to finish with a 5-12 record. The 24-year-old completed 59.9 percent of his passes for 2,527 yards with nine touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He rushed for five scores as well.
Newton, 32, was signed on Nov. 12 and went 0-5 as the team’s starter. The former NFL MVP has completed 54.8 percent of his passes for 684 yards with four scores and five interceptions. He also rushed for 230 yards and five touchdowns.