Opinion: The end nearing for Super Cam
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Zion Dendy, Staff Writer
If I were to ask Carolina Panthers fans about starting quarterback Cam Newton, most would immediately begin to speak on the quarterbacks stellar 2015 MVP season, and it would be hard to blame them. Accumulating an outstanding 35 passing touchdowns as well as another 10 rushing, Newton led his team to a 15-1 record and a well-deserved trip to the historic 50th Super Bowl. Ultimately Newton and the Panthers would lose the Super Bowl, however, and his outstanding season would be scarred with a loss.
Newton’s following seasons, however, have not lived up to the 2015 hype. Since that historic year, the Carolina Panthers haven’t made it to the NFC Championship again, and Newton has been frustrated with various injuries, the most recent being a foot injury that sidelined him for a vast majority of the 2019-2020 season. A frustrated Carolina Panthers organization in turn would end the season 5-11 and be forced to fire long time head coach Ron Rivera and most of his staff. This created a tension between Newton and the Panthers. Many questioned if the club would release the now injury-prone quarterback, or if Newton could return and maybe continue his past stardom.
Personally, Cam Newton has been my favorite NFL player since he was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in 2011. Watching him mature as an NFL quarterback and become a seasoned veteran showed me how much his love for the game of football affects his play. Personal feelings aside, however, the Carolina Panthers face a tough choice going into the 2020 season. Is the team going to be patient with franchise quarterback Cam Newton while he heals from his injuries, or do they look in the free agent market or upcoming NFL draft for a new quarterback to lead the team?
The free-agent market, save for a few names, is filled with back-up tier quarterbacks who do not compare to Newton in the slightest. The Carolina Panthers should avoid signing a team hopping free-agent quarterback in hopes of improving their play in 2020. Other options at quarterback include Tom Brady, Teddy Bridgewater, Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota. Most of these players will likely remain on the teams they played for in 2019.
The 2019 NFL Draft looks no better. With only a handful of decent options at quarterback, the Panthers could hope one of the top prospects fall to the seventh pick or trade up for a chance to draft the likes of Joe Burrow or Tua Tagovailoa. Drafting a quarterback, although could put the Panthers right back in a rebuilding phase and may cause two to three more years of disappointing seasons.
In my opinion, Cam Newton deserves to start his last year of his contract. The Panthers will be paying him a whopping 17 million and I believe he deserves a chance to prove whether or not he deserves that kind of money. Keeping Newton would also prevent the Panthers from entering a rebuilding phase in which they would be forced to train and season a brand-new quarterback. The 2020 season will answer fans questions about Super-Cam’s career.
