Here’s the problem with the NFL salary structure, one so heavily tilted in favor of ownership that it’s practically criminal for the NFLPA to continually agree to it: Either you get rid of your biggest star or you overpay your biggest star. There’s no in between.

The Carolina Panthers found that out Tuesday, when it gave Cam Newton, a fine quarterback and double-threat with his legs, who has a career record below .500 and two playoff appearances largely due to his team’s stout defense, a contract worth $67.6 million over the first three guaranteed years. In total, the contract is a $103.8 million deal factoring in the funny money, which is not accidentally worth $250,000 more than the contract signed by Matt Ryan. (The ego of agents and athletes never fails to bring a smile.)

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That should be too much money for a quarterback who’s had a single season above .500, has an awful touchdown-to-interception ratio of 1.5 (last year, he ranked 27th in the NFL in the stat, behind EJ Manuel, Derek Carr and, remarkably, Eli Manning), captains an offense that’s been progressively worse in each of his four years in the league, had his worst season in 2014 and has been most comparable over the past three years to Ken O’Brien’s 1985-87 stretch, according to Football Outsiders.

And yet, it’s exactly what Carolina needed to pay to retain Newton, it’s exactly what they should have paid to retain Newton and it’s exactly what Newton deserves when compared to the market. (Thank you, Andy Dalton. And Andrew Luck and Russell Wilson should be sending gift baskets to Newton’s house within the hour, because if he’s worth $67.6 million over three years, they’re worth Warren Buffet money.)

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The problem is, Newton’s contract, which is the largest in NFL history over the first three years, quickly becomes unwieldy. The cap hits are so big over that time period that it hinders Carolina’s ability to bring in top-tier talent. This year, the team brought in no one of consequence, unless you’re a really big fan of Ted Ginn Jr. and unless you’re Ted Ginn Sr., you’re not.

There’s a reason Newton’s numbers dipped last year, in addition to battling injuries: He lost his receiving security blanket in Steve Smith. A football team is only as good as the sum of its part and, on offense at least, it’s Cam Newton and that’s about it for Carolina, unless you believe Jerricho Cotchery is due for a career year at age 33. Kelvin Benjamin, last year’s first-round pick, is a standout at wideout, but without anyone else to take the attention away from defenses (hint: It won’t be Ted Ginn), his abilities will be hampered. And let’s not forget that Newton’s blind side will be protected in 2015 by Blind Side subject Michael Oher, who was cut from the Tennessee Titans earlier this year because he failed his exit physical. The lack of moves aren’t Newton’s fault, but, as Seattle is about to find out, the salary cap means there’s only so much money for so many players.

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But such is life in the NFL, where quarterbacks rule and getting your hands on a decent one, however shaky his overall talents may be, is one less headache for a general manager. The reason Newton is worth $67.6 million is because Geno Smith, Josh McCown, Brian Hoyer, Blake Bortles, Derek Carr, Sam Bradford, Jay Cutler and Nick Foles are all expected to be starting quarterbacks this season. Get rid of him and the picks are slim. Newton’s worth is much like Joe Flacco’s, because for however “elite” Flacco may or may not be, at least he’s someone dependable who can occasionally win games and rarely lose them by himself.

There is a big difference, however: Flacco consistently takes his team to the playoffs and wins when he gets there. Newton’s Panthers had a great, flukey 12-4 record in 2012, then became just the second team with a record below .500 to make the playoffs last year when its 7-8-1 record took the putrid NFC South. But the division won’t be bad for long and it’s up for debate whether it’ll be Cam Newton who leads the charge. The Carolina Panthers, and $103.8 million, are counting on it.

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