Newton is coming off a Lisfranc fracture, and NFL teams haven't been able to perform a physical on the quarterback due to the offseason restrictions because of the COVID-19 pandemic. With training camps less than a month away, the deal for Newton is seen as a low-risk move by Bill Belichick and the Patriots.
It's a low-cost response to Tom Brady leaving with the potential for a significant upside.
Newton's contract is reportedly worth up to $7.5 million, but it has been described as "incentive-laden." Ian Rapoport of NFL Network called it a "bare minimum deal" while reporting the signing.
Those details have led San Francisco 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman to wonder why a former league MVP, a "transcendent talent," is having to sign such a deal while other less talented quarterbacks are making more. He calls the situation "disgusting."
Sherman doesn't specifically name any of those "less talented" quarterbacks, but the 49ers cornerback obviously believes Newton deserves more. Clearly, the injury and the pandemic had a lot to do with Newton's specific situation. Regardless, he will likely have an opportunity to prove himself, start, and reach some of those incentives.
Sherman is entering the final year of the three-year deal he signed with the 49ers in 2018 and is coming off one of the better statistical seasons of his career. Pro Football Focus gave him the highest coverage grade (90.5) and highest overall grade (90.3) among cornerbacks from last season, including the playoffs.
The 49ers and Patriots are scheduled to face one another at Gillette Stadium on Sunday, October 25.
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