Cam Newton would refuse to play for the NY Jets for this absurd reason

The NY Jets have been connected to every quarterback, from Carson Wentz to Colin Kaepernick, in the weeks following Aaron Rodgers' unfortunate injury. You can add former NFL MVP Cam Newton to that discussion, although Newton doesn't seem particularly interested.

The former All-Pro appeared on the “RG3 and The Ones” podcast with former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III, and when asked if he would be interested in signing with the Jets, Newton had a very peculiar response.

Newton insisted that he is good enough to be in the NFL right now but that he isn't interested in a cheap deal. Newton specifically insisted that a $5.5 million contract wouldn't be enough to acquire his services.

The former No. 1 overall pick then went on to suggest that he would need to be the starter with the Jets, even if Aaron Rodgers returned to play this season. Evidently, his demands seem to be what's keeping him out of the NFL.

"You not about to sit here and penny-pinch me, bro. I’m about to sit up here and sign no $5.5 (million) deal, bro. In any situation, I’m going to sit up there, and I’m going to analyze it as much as possible. I don’t want to walk into a dysfunctional situation. Have you guys made Zach Wilson aware? Also, Aaron Rodgers is trying to come back this year — let’s also talk about that."

- Cam Newton

The NY Jets' lack of interest in Cam Newton is apparently mutual

Needless to say, the Jets haven't shown any interest in signing Newton, who last appeared in an NFL game in 2021. Newton started five games for the Carolina Panthers that year, losing all five starts and finishing with four passing touchdowns and five interceptions.

The Jets signed veteran backup Trevor Siemian to their practice squad last week and seem prepared to move forward with their current quarterback room. Following Zach Wilson's encouraging performance in Week 4, the hope is that the team doesn't need to make a quarterback change.

As for Newton, his demands evidently exceed a contract that would pay him $5.5 million per year. That salary would make him the 30th-highest-paid quarterback in the NFL. Only five current backups, Wilson included, are making more than that this season.

That's high-end backup money, and Newton believes he's worth more. This is despite the fact that, since the start of the 2019 season, Newton has thrown just 12 touchdown passes and 15 interceptions. He's likely not even high-end backup-caliber at this stage.

There's a reason Cam Newton isn't in the NFL. Is he good enough to make an NFL roster, even in the year 2023? Most likely, yes. But his demands far exceed the value he brings to the table at this stage. No team is going to give him what he wants.

Newton has no desire to sign with the Jets for what they'd likely be willing to offer. The good news is that the feeling is mutual.