It looks like it’s going to be a sink or swim situation with rookie quarterback Cam Newton this year. He’s got all of the talent in the world, but critics say the 2010 Heisman Trophy winner doesn’t know how to run an NFL-style offense.
The Carolina Panthers will be hoping the number-one overall pick in this year’s draft from Auburn will be able to learn in a hurry because indications are they’ll be starting him when opening day arrives.
It’s not really Newton’s fault that he’s not used to the pro-style game as Auburn ran a simplistic offense and he just went along with the program. But for Newton to become successful in the NFL, he should really be on a team that can afford to take the time to teach him the ins and outs of the pro game. He’d fit in well with a club that isn’t looking for a starter and has the patience to coach and develop him properly.
The Panthers do have that luxury up to a certain point as 23-year-old Jimmy Clausen is capable of handling the starting job again this season. He’s certainly not the best quarterback out there, but at this point in time he’s a better option than Newton. Of course, the Panthers could also check out who’s available in the free agent market or go the trade route. But should they really have to do that after drafting somebody who’s supposed to be as good as Newton?
The Panthers should try to ease Newton into the squad without putting too much pressure on him. It might be a good idea putting him into games that appear to have already been won or lost to gain some much-needed NFL experience.
Marty Hurney, the Panthers GM, recently told WFNZ radio in Charlotte that the best way for Newton to learn the pro game is to be on the field experiencing it until he’s comfortable with the system. He feels Newton should be put in competitive situations to see how he reacts.
But Hurney said the club is also confident that Clausen will improve on his rookie year and 25-year-old Tony Pike is another good player waiting in the wings if they need him. In fact, Hurney covered all the possibilities as he also mentioned bringing in a veteran to help out.
Without help, the Panthers are going to head into the season very inexperienced at quarterback. Clausen has thrown a grand total of 157 passes in the NFL, but it’s still 157 more than Newton’s thrown. Matt Moore played several games for the Panthers at quarterback last season, but Clausen took over after Moore suffered injuries and didn’t play as well as expected. But because of the current labor situation in the NFL, it’s unsure where his Moore’s lies as clubs can’t discuss contracts with players.
In fact, the labor woes might hold the key to Newton’s immediate future too. If things get back to normal pretty soon then he’ll have time to learn the Panthers’ system and would be a lot better prepared to start the season. But the longer things drag on; the Panthers might have to go with somebody else at quarterback out of necessity.
Newton has a copy of the Carolina playbook and admits there are a lot of things in it he doesn’t know, but he’s learning something new every day. At Auburn, Newton was used to a spread offense and taking snaps out of the shotgun. This allowed him to pass and run and he was effective at both as he rushed for 20 touchdowns and threw for 30. In the NFL, he’ll be taking more snaps under center and likely scrambling less.
Newton said he doesn’t think it’ll be a problem and it just comes down to timing. He feels it’s just repetition when it comes knowing what he’s supposed to do, the assignment, and the alignment and what his teammates are going to do on each particular play.
Newton’s got to learn sometime and only time will tell how good his coaches are at teaching and how good of a student he is. However, the lockout is going to stymie his progress, and the team will have to be patient with him before they can come to a verdict.
