CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A fan carrying an enormous smile and a black No. 1 Cam Newton jersey was on the entrance of Financial institution of America Stadium on Thursday lower than an hour after information of the quarterback returning to the Carolina Panthers grew to become official.
The sound of automobiles honking their horns reverberated off the close by Morehead Avenue overpass subsequent to him.
Whereas rain clouds hung over town, phrase that “Superman’’ had returned to the workforce he took to Tremendous Bowl 50 in 2015 was like a ray of sunshine, judging by the response of followers.
Newton was, and nonetheless is, essentially the most iconic participant within the historical past of a franchise born in 1995. The highest decide of the 2011 draft electrified the Carolinas together with his bodily expertise and eccentric fashion for seven years earlier than accidents lowered him to a mere human his remaining two seasons.
At 32, he gained’t be Superman once more.
However he’s a humbled participant eager to show himself once more.
And he was the best choice for a 4-5 Carolina workforce that also has aspirations of constructing the playoffs within the second season underneath coach Matt Rhule, one of many decision-makers in releasing Newton within the spring of 2020.
The contract — as much as $10 million the remainder of 12 months; $4.5 million absolutely assured plus a $1.5 million roster bonus — reveals it is a critical transfer and never only a option to win again followers who had been upset when Newton was launched.
“My job is to attempt to win proper now,” Rhule mentioned Wednesday, refusing to take a position on curiosity in Newton at the moment. “Our followers aren’t paying cash to observe us win in two years. On the identical time, you are making an attempt to construct a Tremendous Bowl-caliber workforce. So it is a balancing act of doing what’s proper long run and making an attempt to win on the identical time. Many occasions these are the identical factor.
“There are 4 groups within the NFC with greater than six wins. Everybody else is about like us. A lot of groups proper now within the NFL try to determine get previous .500 and have an excellent 12 months and win within the second half of the 12 months.”
Newton returned to Carolina’s radar after the workforce discovered on Tuesday that Sam Darnold would miss a minimum of 4 to 6 weeks due to a shoulder damage suffered in Sunday’s loss to the New England Patriots, the workforce Newton performed for final season and till he was launched Aug. 31.
Darnold was struggling anyway, and backup P.J. Walker has one NFL begin underneath his belt. Whereas Rhule confirmed Thursday that Walker will get the beginning Sunday (4:05 p.m. ET, Fox) on the Arizona Cardinals — the place, coincidentally, Newton performed his first NFL sport in 2011 — turning long run to a participant with 139 begins makes extra sense shifting ahead.
Right here’s a better have a look at how this all happened:
Did the Panthers have higher choices than Newton?
Not likely.
You don’t discover former NFL MVPs, as Newton was in 2015, on the lookout for a job. Carolina may have turned to Philip Rivers, however his solely curiosity in returning seemed to be with the New Orleans Saints.
Carolina signed veteran Matt Barkley off the Tennessee Titans’ apply squad Wednesday, however he has seven begins and a 2-5 document in these video games. Newton has 75 wins, 68 coming with the Panthers.
How does Newton match into Joe Brady’s offense?
This looks like an odd match for the offensive coordinator. Brady’s system depends on sharp timing and consistency. These haven’t been Newton’s strengths, significantly the previous few years. He has a profession 60.1 completion proportion.
However earlier than accidents to the shoulder and foot took their toll, Newton was enjoying his finest in 2018 throughout a 6-2 begin. He completed with a career-best 67.9 completion proportion. That success will get misplaced as a result of Newton misplaced his remaining eight begins for Carolina earlier than being shut down two video games into the 2019 season.
Brady, who has grow to be extra prepared to decide to the run due to an edict from Rhule, can work in additional of the run-option that made Newton elite. The Patriots nonetheless believed Newton may play, however they didn’t need to revamp their offense to suit his fashion. The Panthers appear prepared.
The operating again had his breakout season in 2018 with Newton, dashing for 1,098 yards and catching 107 passes for 867 yards. Groups needed to concentrate on Newton as a operating menace who opened up extra room for McCaffrey.
That the offensive line is down to 1 starter, proper sort out Taylor Moton — who started the season on the identical place due to accidents — that twin menace turns into extra of an element.
McCaffrey may also help Newton as effectively. Even when Newton isn’t capable of make the deep throws he was so good at early in his profession, he all the time has his safety blanket with No. 22.
What are life like expectations for Cam?
The bar needs to be considerably low. In his previous 23 begins between Carolina and New England, Newton is 7-16. He has 17 touchdowns to twenty interceptions. However he does have 16 dashing touchdowns, and Rhule is dedicated to operating. If Newton may also help the Panthers get to 8-9 or 9-8, they’ve a shot at making the playoffs within the NFC.
It’s unlikely Walker may get them there towards a schedule that ends with journeys to the Buffalo Payments and Saints, in addition to two video games towards defending Tremendous Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Don’t neglect, Newton led the Panthers to 4 straight wins to finish the 2014 season and make the playoffs because the NFC South champs at 7-8-1. Additionally they beat Arizona within the playoffs earlier than seeing their run finish on the Seattle Seahawks. So a minimum of Newton offers Carolina hope, if not a shot.