Carroll: Seahawks spoke to Newton, doing due diligence on 'everybody'
Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said Monday his team has spoken to free-agent quarterback Cam Newton amid an injury to Russell Wilson.
"Just so you know, we have talked to him. We're talking to everybody that could help us," Carroll told Mike Salk of 710 ESPN Seattle.
Newton - who was shockingly released by the New England Patriots prior to the start of the regular season - announced Sunday he's vaccinated, meaning he's eligible to immediately sign with a new team instead of waiting five days.
The former NFL MVP said he's received offers from unspecified teams and insisted his desire to continue his football career remains strong.
Wilson is reportedly expected to miss at least a month after undergoing surgery for the middle finger on his throwing hand. Geno Smith stepped in for the Sunday night overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers that dropped Seattle to 2-4.
Newton had an uneven season with the Patriots in 2020 after spending the first nine years of his career with the Carolina Panthers. The 2011 No. 1 overall pick threw for a career-low 2,657 yards and eight touchdowns against 10 interceptions while adding 592 yards and 12 scores on the ground.