Cam's Most Important Offseason Yet

[mcdougal]

I am far more interested in the Panthers figuring out a way to not allow Newton's line to be filled with un-drafted players, and his WR core not be led by a rookie who was about the 8th WR/TE taken, and not even the number one WR on his college team.

 

And figuring out a way not to allocate a disproportionate amount of our limited salary cap and draft picks to the defense--only to expect the offense to hang with the Packers, and be successful against the Seahawks.

 

Let's start with that...Because Cam can do all the work he wants, at the end of the day, the young man deserves some talent.

[Pondmanmark]

there's only 32 starting qb's in the League, to say that Newton is a franchise qb because he's in the top 16 is ludicrous.

So tell me Oh great one from OZ.....If there are 32 teams and your QB is  in the top 50% and with what comes out of the draft what, do tell me, does it take to be a Franchise QB since there are 32 NFL Teams.

 

I look forward to an insightful, logical and thorough repertoire.

[MedellinHeel]

how many times are we gonna say the same poo after every year?!? you gtfo

[mcdougal]

So let me get this straight...Our WRs were brought in cheap because they are vets and are reliable. The may not get you a bunch of yards or a lot separation, and are certainly not elite, expected to make Calvin Johnson, Dez Bryant, or Andre Johnson type plays with the game on the line. But they catch what they are supposed to catch, and are where they are supposed to be when they are supposed to be there.

 

But per the Huddle, not only do our WRs need not get separation, not only do they need not get YAC, not only do they need beat their man one-on-one or make tremendous grabs...

 

But even if they are wide open, and no defender touches them, and the ball is placed between the numbers or on the hands...the QB must also ensure that the ball isn't thrown "too hard" or too fast. So in addition to reading coverage, working with the line to adjust protection, getting the plays out, throwing the ball on time, and accurately...

 

Newton is to ensure that a NFL player being paid MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO CATCH FOOTBALLS (that are thrown accurately, on time, and no one touches them) is not thrown "too hard."

 

 

Am I understanding this correctly?

[shreddingdefense]

So let me get this straight...Our WRs were brought in cheap because they are vets and are reliable. The may not get you a bunch of yards or a lot separation, and are certainly not elite, expected to make Calvin Johnson, Dez Bryant, or Andre Johnson type plays with the game on the line. But they catch what they are supposed to catch, and are where they are supposed to be when they are supposed to be there.

 

But per the Huddle, not only do our WRs need not get separation, not only do they need not get YAC, not only do they need beat their man one-on-one or make tremendous grabs...

 

But even if they are wide open, and no defender touches them, and the ball is placed between the numbers or on the hands...the QB must also ensure that the ball isn't thrown "too hard" or too fast. So in addition to reading coverage, working with the line to adjust protection, getting the plays out, throwing the ball on time, and accurately...

 

Newton is to ensure that a NFL player being paid MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO CATCH FOOTBALLS (that are thrown accurately, on time, and no one touches them) is not thrown "too hard."

 

 

Am I understanding this correctly?

excellent post

 

 

 

 

end thread/

[beastson]

Just sitting here watching Oregon, thinking back to Cam Auburn days, dreaming of what our offense can and should be.

[CRA]

He's not a franchise QB. His accuracy, footwork, and decision making are not elite. Can he get there. Yes. Is he, no.

Andrew Lucks decision making is arguably worse than Cam's.....but he is considered the next greatest QB.

[panthers55]

Did you see even ONE play call that made it possible to get YAC this season?

Hundreds of them. The problem is that once Cam doesn't hit them as they clear they settle down into a zone or keep going in the same direction. It gives the defender time to recover and make a play. I saw it on the deep ball to Cotchery Saturday . Cam didn't hit him in the seam and Cotchery slowed down and stood there waiting for the ball. By the time Cam saw him and threw the ball the defender was there to make a play. That was a huge difference between Wilson and Cam. Wilson threw his people open and led them while Cam hit them once they were open allowing Seattle to make plays. Honestly. This is one part of his game that Cam did in college and still struggles. He can hit guys on crossing routes and lead them but struggles going vertically and dropping the ball in. That is one huge problem which makes Cam easier than some quarterbacks to defend. Corners play in front of our receivers because Cam struggles to throw over the top and drop the ball in. You don't have to defend some passes since Cam still can't hit all the throws . Those which require touch are still difficult for him.

[JARROD]

No more classes. No surgery. No excuses. This will be the most important offseason of Cam's young career.

 

First of all, if you don't think Cam is a franchise QB, gtfo.

 

That being said, there's things he needs to work on:

1. He needs to consistently throw a more catchable ball. It seems like every game we see critical drops, the Seattle game was no exception with two critical third-down drops by Cotchery and Tolbert. I want to put every drop on the receiver, but at a certain point you have to look at the trend and say Cam needs to throw a more catchable ball. He's gotta develop that touch, it's nice to have that power when you need it, but not on every throw. Peyton Manning broke records with his noodle arm last year.

 

2. He needs to be more consistent in throwing where receivers will be, instead of where they are. Getting those YACs up starts with Cam right now. We've seen that he can do it, he just needs to do it more. Maybe somebody with stats can tell me how man YAC we had against Seattle, but I know it wasn't much. Part of that is a credit to their defense, but part of it is that our receivers are standing still or reaching behind them on catches far too often.

 

3. He needs to get his deep ball accuracy back. In his first year, he was one of the best deep ball chuckers in the game, but he's become much less accurate since then. The ball that Sherman intercepted should have been a touchdown. Philly had Sherman beat over top and Cam woefully underthrew him even though he had time to step up in the pocket and deliver the perfect ball.

 

4. Pocket presence and footwork. He actually looked tremendous in this aspect during the Seattle game, we just need it consistently.

 

5. He needs to take control of this offense. For all we complain about Shula, Cam needs to assert himself no matter who the coordinator is. And Shula actually called a pretty good game against Seattle. If it weren't for drops, the 2 interceptions which were 100% on Cam, and the lost fumble which was at least partially on Cam, then we would have had a great chance to win that game against a Superbowl defense.

 

For us to take the next step, Cam has to take the next step. This will be his biggest offseason because when next season rolls around there won't be any more excuses for him. No school, no surgery, no strike shortened offseason, no excuses. I think next season will be transcendent for him and I can't wait.

I pie'd the post so I agree with it for the most part.

 

The more I keep watching plays over and over again on replay,  the more I believe that a high percentage of throws under or over are miscues by Cam or by the Receiver on option routes.

 

I posted under the sherman comment thread the replay of the interception. Cam steps up in the pocket and delivers a confident throw that he steps into.  I shows Philly get surprised and stop and Sherman makes a great leap for it, but it was coming down over the top for Philly.

 

When the ball is released its well before Philly breaks from Sherman so either of them miscued.  Just my observation.  

 

Ive seen on plenty of throws where they are in weird places or look overthrown off the back foot but then you see Cam and the receiver talking with hands-- so trying to get on the same page.

 

Miscue alert.

 

All of these are first year with Cam, 3 rookies essentially too, but on one play from the Atlanta game I saw Olsen point left on his chest to Cam after a throw went high right. Miscue again.

 

Just my observations-- the only ones who know for sure are the receivers, Cam and the coaches.

[CharlottePanther]

I hope we dont extend Cam until after next season, I dont see why people on here frown upon players and coaches playing and coaching in a lame duck season and actually earning their contract. Just like Rivera shouldnt have been extended until he could have proven he can get back to back winning seasons. This season will be the tell all of what kind of contract Cam deserves. Just like the OP said, there are NO barriers or excuses for Cam this off season.

Same playbook, same offense, same scheme, same WRs (with the exception of maybe one added), no off season surgery, no finishing up school, no none of that.

Im sorry, I know 99% of you disagree but I am very VERY uncomfortable with this notion that we should just give Cam his 100 million dollar contract and hope, pray and cross our fingers he develops into a franchise QB, I also dont agree with the notion of " better sign Cam to big bucks because who else is out there." What kind of sense does that make?!

Cam is still an enigma and big question mark in my opinion. This has the making of a Jay Cutler situation all over again, what a collosal disaster for that franchise signing Cutler to such a deal, convince me right now Cam isnt Cutler 2.0?

Just look at all the QBs in recent history that just flamed out after signing huge deals.. Vick, Cutler, Dalton to an extent, Kaepernick hell even Drew Brees. I HATE HATE the direction the NFL is headed with QB contracts breaking the back of franchises. QB contracts are a huge albatross

[JARROD]

Oh I agree with that, and have said in plenty of other posts here.  One guy cannot make 1/4 or even 1/5 of the salary cap.  Each and every team that has even an elite quarterback stopped closing the deal after their quarterbacks got the "big" one.

 

Falcons(helped big time by the Julio/Walker part 2 trade), Baltimore, Saints etc.  Even the Colts really. Peyton always had big contracts but even bigger later on and as such, they couldnt keep core free agents to close the deal.  That contributes heavily to not closing the deal late in playoff runs where TALENT beats scheme usually.

 

Brady(I know, I know, I still have a back and forth debate about this and probably will some more) even realized this and restructured his contract to save his team 15 million in cap space over 2 years, and his cap number only climbs by 1 million per year thereafter until it needs his last retirement restructure.

 

Whether Cam is worth it or not is up to the organization. I personally think hes worth a top 10 contract because he carries the Panthers so much that he catches unreasonable amounts of blame by all of us untrained observers who dont know how the plays were drawn up.

 

However no player is worth 25 million when the cap is 110.  If you can pull a Flacco and pay option bonuses periodically and only guarantee the base salary in an injury---- then bring the cap figure to under 15 million,....GREAT!!

 

This gives the player a nice 125 million on paper, 60 million "guaranteed" but spaced out in "option" bonuses so the cap figure is low. By the time the cap escalates there would be a restructure.

 

I dont care if Cam gets paid 200 million-- its not my money.  For the Panthers to field a team capable of closing the deal, his cap figure needs to be lower than 20 and preferably under 15.

 

Last note-- even that didnt help the Ravens,..

[nctarheel0619]

You mean lobs?

First one could easily of been a bad result....Boston played horrible so it looked like a great play. Good S play and it isn't a TD....bc it was just a lob.

Other lob the WR pushed off bc coverage was there....bc it was just a lob.

That wasn't great QB play. Bad defense.

Like the Philly Brown TD against Atl.....Cam lobbed it up. Falcon defender just played it horrible. Wasn't a play worth bragging about a QBs ability to throw

So what you're saying is we need better secondary players?  

[WUnderhill]

So let me get this straight...Our WRs were brought in cheap because they are vets and are reliable. The may not get you a bunch of yards or a lot separation, and are certainly not elite, expected to make Calvin Johnson, Dez Bryant, or Andre Johnson type plays with the game on the line. But they catch what they are supposed to catch, and are where they are supposed to be when they are supposed to be there.

 

But per the Huddle, not only do our WRs need not get separation, not only do they need not get YAC, not only do they need beat their man one-on-one or make tremendous grabs...

 

But even if they are wide open, and no defender touches them, and the ball is placed between the numbers or on the hands...the QB must also ensure that the ball isn't thrown "too hard" or too fast. So in addition to reading coverage, working with the line to adjust protection, getting the plays out, throwing the ball on time, and accurately...

 

Newton is to ensure that a NFL player being paid MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO CATCH FOOTBALLS (that are thrown accurately, on time, and no one touches them) is not thrown "too hard."

 

 

Am I understanding this correctly?

 

Yeah. You can dislike it all you want, but even NFL players being paid MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, etc. etc., have an easier time catching slower balls than faster ones. Throw the ball with the minimum velocity required for each specific situation to make catches easier: it's pretty simple conceptually, difficult in practice, but something the elite QBs are able to do at a reasonably proficient level. Cam needs to work on it.

 

If you want to see a continued high rate of drops throughout Cam's career just so you can blame everything on the receivers, then there's nothing worth saying to you.

[ncsfinest21]

First off did we not expect this. Cam started last off season with ankle surgery. Rehab. Just barely made it through training camp, went back to school. New receivers, different oline. And we expect him to develop something in the midst of all that. The coaches didn't have time in the off season to work on his mechanics. I think this year was a blessing in disguise. We started all these rookies and every last one of them stepped up. Cam will develop this up coming year. That lost to Seattle was sour. But if we stayed healthy (which unfortunately will never happen) like Seattle did this year and cam didn't have ankle surgery, fractured ribs, fractured back and stayed healthy like Russell ain't no doubt in my mind we would've beat them