Jan 26

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NFL Rumors: Cam Newton's contract incentives with Patriots revealed

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Would Belichick choose Newton at veteran minimum or Mahomes at over $500 million for 12 years?

We've heard a lot about why Cam Newton is motivated to play well in 2020.

Here's another obvious motivator: Money.

The 31-year-old quarterback officially signed a one-year contract with the New England Patriots on Wednesday that reportedly includes a $1.05 million base salary with the opportunity to earn up to $7.5 million.

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Here are the contract incentives Newton must hit to earn that full $7.5 million in 2020, ESPN's Field Yates reported Thursday.

The bulk of Newton's incentives are tied to playing time: If he plays just 13 percent of the team's offensive snaps in 2020, he'll earn a $250,000 bonus, but if he's on the field for 90 percent or more snaps and New England makes the playoffs, he'll net a $3.75 million bonus.

Newton also can collect $700,000 if he's on the active roster for all 16 games and snag $500,000 bonuses for making the Pro Bowl and the All-Pro teams, respectively.

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This is a smart deal for the Patriots, as health is Newton's biggest concern entering 2020. The nine-year veteran played just two games for the Carolina Panthers last season due to a foot injury that required offseason surgery and dealt with a shoulder injury in 2018 that also needed surgery.

Newton likely was seeking more money in free agency, but this contract also allows the QB to bet on himself. If he wins the starting QB job over Jarrett Stidham, stays healthy the entire season and leads the Patriots to the playoffs, he'll come very close to earning the maximum $7.5 million regardless of what numbers he puts up.

So, if Newton proves his doubters wrong by bouncing back with a healthy 2020 campaign, he'll also earn a good chunk of extra change.

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