Did Cam Newton pile more pressure on the Panthers with vlog post?

Has Cam Newton piled more pressure on the Carolina Panthers with his recent vlog post after signing with the New England Patriots?

Former Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton put the decision to depart the organization squarely on the organization in his latest social media post. The iconic figure ended almost three months on the free-agent scrapheap by penning a one-year deal with the New England Patriots this week, which could be worth $7.5 million if he reaches his incentives.

This further highlighted the division between certain sections of the fanbase regarding Newton’s release by the Carolina Panthers. Some felt that the signal-caller deserved one more shot given what he has given the franchise since he was selected No. 1 overall in 2011. And he was still playing at a high level before shoulder and foot injuries significantly hampered his progress over his final two seasons.

Things could have been handled a little better by the front office in terms of timing. They invested a lot in Teddy Bridgewater during free agency. So leaving Newton hanging for some weeks after seems like an odd move that came in for some criticism.

The player will now get a real chance to become a day one starter in New England. And Newton outlined his thoughts regarding the move and his situation with the Panthers in a vlog post entitled “Farewell, Carolina. Hello, New England” on Monday evening.

"“Don’t believe the hype. I never once, and I’ll say this, never once wanted to leave Carolina. Don’t let them make you believe. It was their decision. I stuck with it and I knew that, so I asked for a trade.”"

This statement heaps more pressure on the Panthers. Especially when one looks back at the comments new head coach Matt Rhule made regarding Newton when he took over at the helm.

The former Baylor man stated he was looking forward to working with Newton. But things change quickly in the NFL and in this particular scenario, Carolina opted to go with Bridgewater as the man to take them forward.

Why the Carolina Panthers don’t come out of the Cam Newton situation looking good

Parting ways with one of the best players in franchise history was never going to be an easy thing to do. That being said, the Carolina Panthers do come out of it looking bad. And that makes it even more imperative that the team shows progress during the 2020 season.

This might not come with a winning record, which is to be expected given the vast changes made within the organization from top to bottom. But the Panthers will need to start trending on an upward curve sooner rather than later to avoid the inevitable murmurings of discontent.

If Newton thrives in a new environment from the word go, this pressure is only going to intensify. There is every chance that the 2015 NFL MVP will beat out Jarrett Stidham and Brian Hoyer for the No. 1 spot. And his potential within Josh McDaniels’ scheme looks eye-catching, to say the least.

The Panthers were on a hiding to nothing the moment they decided to release Newton. He was worshipped by a large majority of the team’s fanbase. And they will be extremely loyal to the player even in pastures new.

What comes next for the organization will be absolutely crucial in order to emerge from Newton’s shadow at the earliest possible opportunity. Only time will tell as to whether or not they made the right call. And it is yet another intriguing element to keep a close eye on in 2020.