Cam Newton is still waiting.

After the Cowboys signed former Bengals QB Andy Dalton to be Dak Prescott's backup, the 2015 NFL MVP is the biggest-name remaining free-agent quarterback.

The former national champion at Auburn and Super Bowl runner-up in Carolina was ousted from the Panthers earlier this offseason in an ugly breakup from the franchise he was drafted No. 1 overall by in 2011. He's on the lookout for a new squad, but that's proven to be a difficult process for the 30-year-old, as he can't be medically evaluated for his foot injury in person due to COVID-19 restrictions on the NFL.

So, all of a sudden, after the draft and as other quarterbacks are being signed and starting jobs are filling up seemingly by the day, it's May and Newton is still searching for a new home.

There's little doubt Newton presents elite athleticism and potential to be one the top offensive players in the league. He was just that five years ago. But can he find the right fit as a starter or backup on a squad that will also be patient with his injury rehab?

"Cam Newton is one of the best football players, I think, to ever play the game," Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said of his former quarterback. "I know that he'll land on his feet. I know he's got some good years left in him."

There's a handful of franchises that appear near the top of most oddsmakers' lists for Newton's services: the Patriots, Jaguars, Redskins, Steelers, Broncos, Bears and Raiders.

FanDuel is offering New England as the favorites for Newton at +250, with Jacksonville and Washington close behind at +300.

Pats coach and GM Bill Belichick did not use a 2020 draft pick on a quarterback, leaving New England's room with former Auburn QB Jarrett Stidham, who was Tom Brady's backup last season, and 34-year-old veteran Brian Hoyer.

Belichick is reportedly uninterested in signing Newton, though.

Per Bovada, the Jaguars are their frontrunners to land Newton in free agency. Former Washington State gunslinger Gardner Minshew is currently Jacksonville's starting QB, while Joshua Dobbs is a serviceable backup.

Last month, Jags running back Leonard Fournette said he'd like for his team to bring Newton in, if not only for competition in the QB room to better Minshew for the future.

“Cam went to the Super Bowl,” Fournette said on ESPN last month. “He’s a great guy. I’ve been knowing Cam for a minute now. And like I told some people that talked to me, it’s no disrespect to (Gardner) Minshew. I’m just trying to get into the best position as a team so that we can win. That’s all that was about. Just a friendly competition because that brings out the best in people.”

Would Newton accept a backup role there, or anywhere else in the league? The Athletic's Joe Person reported this week that many NFL camps believe the former MVP would be best served waiting and continuing rehab on his foot injury, signing with a club when an incumbent starter is injured or a spot on the QB depth chart otherwise opens during the season.

The Redskins and Steelers are also intriguing options that have picked up steam recently, appearing as the third team and fourth teams behind New England and Jacksonville on most lists.

Washington coach Ron Rivera, who was Newton's head coach in Carolina for all nine of his seasons there, said after the draft he's at least considered the possibility of a reunion with his former quarterback at his new job.

The Redskins have two up-and-comers on the roster, however, with 2019 starter Dwayne Haskins and former Panthers QB Kyle Allen, who started for Newton during last season after his injury, already on the roster.

"You go back and break Dwayne down, you see a lot of positive things," Rivera said of Washington's future at quarterback. "I think with Cam, and I have thought about it, I mean, it’s something that’s run through my mind, and it’s about the situation and circumstances. I’m not sure I would do it. I’m not sure if I wouldn’t do it. It depends on circumstances.”

The Steelers, on the other hand, are aging at the starting quarterback position and could theoretically groom Newton to be Ben Roethlisberger's successor. Roethlisberger, who threw for a career-high 5,129 yards just two seasons ago, is 38 years old. He suffered an elbow injury Week 2 of last year that held him out the rest of the season but is expected to be ready for Week 1 of 2020.

Newton would also need to accept a backup role at the start and attempt to win the starting job over time if he signed with the Raiders, Broncos or Bears. Las Vegas has Derek Carr and Marcus Mariota, Denver has Drew Lock and Chicago has Mitchell Trubisky and Nick Foles.

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