Whether the new coaching staff in Carolina is going to keep long-time franchise quarterback Cam Newton has been a hot topic all offseason. He may be the most popular player to ever suit up in a Carolina Panthers uniform, but unfortunately for Cam, the NFL is a “what have you done for me lately” kind of business.
Lately, Newton has been a shell of his former self. He’s lost his last eight starts and he didn’t even throw a touchdown in the two games he played in 2019 before getting injured.
If new head coach Matt Rhule and his coaching staff decided they wanted to move on from Newton, it would be completely justified. But it appears that isn’t the case. When Rhule was asked about it at the scouting combine, he said he “absolutely” expects Newton to be on the roster.
He added to that by saying he’s “unbelievably excited to work with Cam.” If all goes according to plan, Newton will be cleared to play by March, just in time for offseason workouts.
After Rhule publicly said he wanted Newton next season, the quarterback took to Instagram to post a workout video. In the video, Cam yells that all he wants is some commitment. “All I want is some commitment, and ya’ll can’t give me that?” was the exact quote.
What could Cam be hinting at here? Does he know something we don’t? It appears that the coaching staff has embraced the idea of having Cam around for the forseeable future.
Perhaps what he means by commitment is in regards to his contract, where he only has one more year left. It would make sense for the Panthers to wait it out on negotiating a new deal for Newton, given how plagued he’s been with injuries in recent years.
If Newton wants some long-term loyalty from the Panthers, he’s certainly not going to get it right away. He’s going to need to earn that with this new regime in place.
If he comes out next season and plays like the Cam Newton we all know and love while staying healthy, all of this speculation will be scoffed at. But until then, question marks will continue to surround Newton and his future with Carolina.
