Kyle Allen, Panthers Agree to 1-Year Contract Amid Cam Newton Trade Rumors

One Carolina Panthers quarterback is a lock for at least one more year. 

The team announced Tuesday morning that Kyle Allen has signed a one-year extension rather than becoming an exclusive rights free agent when the NFL's 2020 free-agency period officially begins at 4 p.m. ET on March 18.

This move comes as Cam Newton's future in Carolina remains uncertain. Trade rumors have been swirling around the Panthers' 2011 first overall pick since a Lisfranc injury in his left foot limited his 2019 campaign to two games.

Allen stepped in and started 12 games, appearing in 13, for the Panthers to finish last season. The 24-year-old came out hot in his first four starts with 901 yards, seven touchdowns and no interceptions as Carolina went 4-0. The chatter that Allen would permanently replace Newton steadily grew louder.

Allen tapered off, though, and finished with 3,322 yards, 17 touchdowns and 16 picks, completing 62 percent of his passes.

The Panthers stumbled to 5-11.

Even so, Newton trade rumors have persisted. The 2015 NFL MVP said he will "absolutely" be a Panther in 2020 while appearing on CBS Sports Network during Super Bowl Week, but team owner David Tepper was hesitant to commit to a still-recovering Newton on Feb. 11:

More recently, Newton posted Instagram photos and videos of himself working out at Carolina's facility Saturday.

On Monday, CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora disclosed that a "longtime NFL source" believes Newton will land with the Las Vegas Raiders. 

"If he is healthy, this is a great fit," the anonymous source told La Canfora, in part. "[Head coach Jon] Gruden knows all of these quarterbacks from studying them and meeting them at ESPN. I could see him buying low on Cam. He's ready to move on from [Derek] Carr. The Panthers need draft picks and the Raiders have plenty."

La Canfora added: "I have heard similar sentiments from other well-connected sources about this proposition and have yet to encounter a trusted source in the NFL who believes Carr will be back with the Raiders."

Newton is entering the final year of his five-year, $103.8 million contract. The 30-year-old is owed $18.6 million in base salary with a $21.1 million cap hit, per Spotrac, before he is scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency in 2021.

That the Panthers extended Allen for one year does not signal the end of Newton in Carolina by any means, seeing as Allen served primarily as Newton's backup in 2018. Nonetheless, this does nothing to quell the drama surrounding the quarterback position in Carolina as the new league year approaches.