Analysis: The return of Cam Newton. The Carolina Panthers’ entire situation is altered by this.
Cam Newton returning to the Carolina Panthers creates macro and micro ripple effects that will sweep across the organization. Newton’s presence instantly changes the locker room, Joe Brady’s offense and Carolina’s long-term plans at quarterback. The Observer first reported the Thursday meeting between Newton, coach Matt Rhule, vice president of football operations Steven Drummond and owner David Tepper. His return to his original NFL organization represents a complete shift in the Panthers’ plans. First, Sam Darnold’s season would effectively be over. The Panthers are likely placing him on injured reserve with a right shoulder injury. Darnold is expected to recover in 4-6 weeks, but once an energy like Newton’s enters the locker room, there is no shifting back to Darnold. Essentially the Panthers’ nine-game trial run with Darnold, the former No. 3 overall pick, is over. The Panthers have seen enough to know he isn’t the long-term solution, and signing Newton proves that.
Rhule stated on Wednesday that he and general manager Scott Fitterer will look at every avenue to make their quarterback position better. Creating an NFL roster requires striking a tough balance between immediate success and long-term viability. Their quest returned them to Newton by Thursday morning. “People assume that I’m not trying to win now because I talked so much about the process and building all those things,” Rhule remarked. “My goal is to assemble a Super Bowl squad. And that calls for deliberate choices. This is a disciplined decision, in my opinion. Carolina has assembled a championship-caliber defense. The Panthers, who are headed by Brian Burns, Haason Reddick, Stephon Gilmore, and Jeremy Chinn, are in the top five in a number of important defensive metrics.
In football, the Panthers’ defense is ranked second. They have given up the third-fewest overall yards and rank ninth in sacks. Anybody can compete with this defense. However, they have to bear the burden of a stale offense. With a lead-leading 11 interceptions, Darnold is tied with Joe Burrow of the Bengals for the NFL’s lowest quarterback rating among qualified passers. Rhule declared, “I think our team can win now.” “We have a solid defense, but our offensive performance hasn’t been up to par. Whether folks want to write us off or not, we are still undefeated in the NFC South. Carolina’s offensive line is third-worst in the league, and the team has only scored one touchdown in its previous 34 possessions, according to ESPN’s pass-rush statistics.
