My take on Cam Newton

[ellis]

 

[SmokinwithWilly]

Excellent article. 

Still when you said I played high school football all I could see was 

 

[ellis]

Yeah I threw that in there is a sarcastic nugget.

[Navy_football]

Thank you for this. People kill me with the Cam's just a running QB and he's gonna get hurt again running. I always ask them so when did he get hurt running again? 

Cam makes throws that a lot of "elite" QBs can't make. His biggest issue has been not having an OC that could dial up the 4 or 5 easy completions that would bump his percentage over 60% so people could stop focussing on that stat line. 

[1of10Charnatives]

Ellis thank you for this. I’ve been hoping Cam could come back but skeptical it was likely. This article doesn’t remove all my doubts but it does give me reason for optimism on that front from someone I’ve come to trust to do honest and competent analysis.

[Khyber53]

Excellent piece and well-researched and reasoned. I've said before and I'll keep pushing it, first option (and best) is work with Cam as our starter going into next season. He has not only earned it, but it would be foolish for us to do anything but that... 

Keep writing these, man, they're great reads!

[Datawire]

Good write up.

Quote

I have buried myself in Newton’s game tape. I’ve paid close attention to the first half of last season, and all of 2017. I have already made my evaluation on Newton. I feel he should come back. I’m not concerned under what circumstances at this point.

While I agree with you. There is one huge circumstance that comes to mind for me, at least. If we bring Cam back and put him behind that putrid offensive line we have and have had the recent past several years he will never remain healthy enough to play a full season again. 

[Jus Rob]

Church! Preach!!!

[Jus Rob]

I've always said he gets hit in the pocket then when running 

[trueblade]

"Final year of the deal? Whatever. A longer-term contract? Good. The team should have some sense of leverage right now with his recent (overhyped) injury issues. None of which, by the way, are connected." 

If I am understanding you, your position is the Panthers should give Newton an extension? I don't think that would be a prudent move.

The key question then remains : is Newton willing to play 2020 on his current contract? 

[GarthMcGrath]

Draft a tackle in first round and a center in the 2nd. Our defense will probably suck next year regardless, but bring Cam back with best offensive line we can muster and let's combine that with offensive minded head coach and score a bunch of points.

[Two Quarters Left]

13 minutes ago, Jus Rob said:

I've always said he gets hit in the pocket then when running 

Well yeah, getting hit twice like that tends to do more damage I'd say.

[ChrisSimmsspleen]

39 minutes ago, Navy_football said:

Thank you for this. People kill me with the Cam's just a running QB and he's gonna get hurt again running. I always ask them so when did he get hurt running again? 

Cam makes throws that a lot of "elite" QBs can't make. His biggest issue has been not having an OC that could dial up the 4 or 5 easy completions that would bump his percentage over 60% so people could stop focussing on that stat line. 

But the easy completions are the ones he has a hard time hitting....?

[BrianS]

Why do RB's hit the proverbial wall at 30 years old?  It's the accumulation of punishment.  Cam is no different.  He's taken more hits than any other QB during his time in the league, and regardless of "where" those hits took place they constitute punishment to a body that needs to be at it's best week in and week out.  That punishment certainly makes him more likely to accumulate further injury.  A body, even that of a finely tuned athlete can only take so much.

All that said, what I saw for the first 8 games last year makes me believe that if Cam can get healthy, stay protected, he can be a starting QB in this league.  Still.  Maybe he loses a step with the Lisfranc.  So what?  He's a QB.  Yes, he might need to become even more of the "standard" NFL QB, but he can do it.  He showed that last year.

For his own sake, I hope Cam's "power back" days are behind him.  I want to see him play for years to come.