Panthers: Playoffs return justifiable in 2018

Healthy Cam Newton

Quarterback Cam Newton entered last year on the heels of a limited preseason after being restricted following rotator cuff surgery. Although Newton remained an active participant in practice there is no denying his inability to throw during much of training camp hurt his performance.

Eventually Newton and the Panthers offense got on track but for much of the season they struggled considerably. It wasn’t until after trading former first-round pick, wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin, that the team seemed to open up the playbook and benefit from Newton being able to throw the football.

In 2018, Newton enters after a healthy offseason and is making efforts to correct his flaws, especially in the passing game. Working on getting rid of the football in a timely fashion and optimizing underneath routes instead of always electing to try for the homerun will ultimately result in better production from the quarterback position – a scary thought for opposing defenses.