The Carolina Panthers have given Cam Newton permission to seek a trade this offseason.

According to Dianna Russini of ESPN, the Panthers are expressing strong interest in signing Teddy Bridgewater. 

"One of the distinct pleasures of my career was selecting Cam with the first pick in the 2011 draft," Marty Hurney said. "Every year difficult decisions are made and they are never easy. We have been working with Cam and his agent to find the best fit for him moving forward and he will always be a Carolina Panther in our hearts."

Newton will turn 31 in May and has battled injuries over the past couple of seasons since his MVP season in 2015.

Newton responded on social media that the Panthers forced Newton to find a trade.