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What Cam Newton’s Imminent New Deal Means for Andrew Luck?

By Luke Schultheis

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According to league sources, Carolina Panthers superstar quarterback Cam Newton is closing in on a new long-term contract extension with his team that is expected to be for 5 years and more than $100 million:

Jan 10, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) against the Seattle Seahawks in the 2014 NFC Divisional playoff football game at CenturyLink Field.The Seahawks defeated the Panthers 31-17. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

It’s very much relevant to the Indianapolis Colts because the team is expected to work out its own mega-contract extension with their own superstar quarterback in Andrew Luck, sooner rather than later. While it was announced that Newton was originally going to let quarterbacks like Luck and the Seattle Seahawks Russell Wilson “reset the quarterback market” for contract extensions before signing a new deal, apparently that’s no longer the case.

Instead, the Panthers will have successfully reached a contract extension with Newton before other young superstar quarterbacks like Luck and Wilson “raise the quarterback contract ceiling” and force the Panthers to hand over additional dollars at the negotiating table. While one could question whether Newton is forfeiting a couple of million by signing his deal before Luck and Wilson reach new deals respectively, he is getting long-term financial security and still expected to reach more than $100 million on his new extension.

It likely has more financial ramifications for the Panthers than the Colts, as the latter still will have to give Luck a contract that effectively makes him the highest paid player in football history regardless.

Right now, it’s really not a matter of if, but simply when.

The Colts picked up Luck’s $16.12 million team option for 2016, but will eventually have to hammer out a long-term mega extension. The team already knows that any new deal will have to exceed Newton’s $20-21 million annually, and according to league experts, Luck’s new contract could be as high as $25 million annually:

This particular situation is interesting though because like Luck, Newton was the #1 overall pick in his draft, only one year sooner in the 2011 NFL Draft. When comparing the two players in their first 3 NFL seasons, Luck clearly has the upper hand in his production and numbers:

Jan 4, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck (12) against the Cincinnati Bengals during the 2014 AFC Wild Card playoff football game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

Not only does Luck best Newton in completions, passing yards, and passing touchdowns in each of their 1st 3 NFL seasons respectively, but he also led the Colts to the AFC Championship Game last season, whereas Newton’s Panthers have failed to advance past the divisional round of the playoffs.

Newton’s deal means that Luck’s new contract with the Colts will have to exceed $20-21 million annually or whatever number Newton’s new contract is eventually finalized as, but it doesn’t change the fact that the Colts will have to make Luck the highest paid player in NFL history regardless. That new number is expected to reach as high as $25 million, but could also mildly fluctuate depending on which one of Wilson or Luck signs their new deal first.

This imminent new contract with Newton was more about the Panthers reaching a long-term extension with their franchise player before Luck or Wilson upped the ante of the quarterback market and lost the team leverage at the negotiating table. By reaching a new extension with Newton now, the Panthers have potentially saved themselves a couple of million dollars later on.

For the Colts, it simply means more of the same: Andrew Luck is about to get paid.

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