A better Cam Newton? ESPN predicts something even bigger
Expectations are high for Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton this season…
Cam Newton receives a lot of criticism for his play despite leading the Carolina Panthers during their most successful stint in franchise history. Since arriving in 2011 via the No. 1 overall pick of the NFL Draft, Newton and the Panthers are 64-47-1 in regular season play with three divisional titles, four trips to the playoffs and a Super Bowl appearance.
A Lombardi Trophy may not yet call Charlotte home but Newton isn’t finished. At 29, he’s entered an age range where signal callers typically begin to flourish and many are expecting big things from him this season.
Entering training camp fully healthy, unlike last season, Newton will get plenty of time to practice with new offensive coordinator, Norv Turner. Known for his past work with quarterbacks around the league, Turner is expected to implicate some changes in order to help Newton be more successful, especially in the passing game.
ESPN agrees, having released two extremely bold predictions for Newton this season.
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The first, a rise in completion percentage to 65-percent, would be a welcome change with a hint of excitement about what exactly an offense where this takes place would look like. The Panthers added veteran wide receiver Torrey Smith to compliment Devin Funchess and shorter, timing routes would also need to be introduced with Christian McCaffrey, Greg Olsen and a slot receiver expected to see an increased amount of targets.
Newton has never reached this level of consistency, broaching 60-percent just twice in his career. As a rookie in 2011, Newton completed exactly 60-percent of his pass attempts before registering a career high in 2013 with 61.7-percent.
An astounding rise in production, it may not even be the most remarkable of projections for Newton. ESPN also predicts Newton, “will come up with a new touchdown dance that will become bigger than the dab was in 2015.”
Remember, this was a dance move that became recognizable around the world and not just by NFL enthusiasts. Kids, parents, grand parents, animals, everyone was seemingly on board with the new celebration.
The dab was so popular that Newton himself had to officially declare it wouldn’t return for the ensuing football season(s), although it does still occasionally make an appearance. Blessed with the healthy offseason, Newton has had a considerable amount of time to prepare for the emergence of something new.
Next. A Rising Star, Breakout Player and More!. dark
Will a fresh move be revealed with a new coordinator? We’ll find out soon enough.