The Los Angeles Chargers considered signing Cam Newton this off-season before they picked former Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Newton, 31, remains a free agent. The three-time Pro Bowl selection and 2015 NFL MVP was released in March by the Carolina Panthers. Chargers coach Anthony Lynn told CBS Sports Radio that his team “took a look” at Newton but decided to go in a different direction at the quarterback position.
“Tyrod Taylor, Easton Stick — those are guys that a lot of people don’t talk about,” Lynn said of two quarterbacks on the Chargers’ roster. “[Stick] was a Division I AA — he won like three national championships. He’s a hell of a leader, hell of a professional and I think he has a bright future in this league one day.
“But with him, Tyrod Taylor, and knowing that we had an opportunity to get one picking sixth in the draft — all those decisions came into play when talking about Cam.”
Lynn also called Newton “a tremendous quarterback.” The Chargers will attempt to fill a void left at quarterback in 2020 after veteran Philip Rivers left the team in free agency.
“Cam’s going to be on somebody’s roster,” Lynn said. “He’s going to help somebody win a few games.”
Newton appeared in just two games last season while limited by a foot injury. The former No. 1 overall draft pick completed 67.9 percent of his passes for 3,395 yards, 24 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 14 starts during his 2018 campaign.
