Cam Newton and the New England Patriots
There has been news of the New England Patriots having little interest in Cam Newton, but it’s more of other’s gazing the Patriot’s interest in Cam Newton.
Sports talk-show-host Colin Cowherd recently used the Patriot’s 1991 scouting reports to analyze Cam Newton. In the report, Colin spoke about Bill’s verbiage such as “Accurate rather than guy with cannon…accuracy…can’t be sloppy fundamentally.” (Bill Belichick Scout notes ’91). He then went on to talk about the fact that Cam’s a 59.6% career passing completion guy.
So far, Colin Cowherd isn’t wrong. When looking at Bill’s old scouting notes, one would automatically look beyond Cam Newton.
Cam has thrown for more than 22 TDS only 3 times in his 9-year career. He has also had a steady dose of double-digit interceptions each year and has had a 60% passing completion rate only three times in his career.
Recently, Cam has revealed that he’s healthy after being plagued with both an ankle and shoulder injury. These injuries kept Cam from completing a full season and put him into an unofficial limbo with the Panthers. But as I said before, if looking at Bill’s notes one would automatically dismiss Cam Newton, but let’s look at why it’s equally important to look beyond the notes.
Cam has thrown for more than 3,300 yards 7x in his career and has rushed for more than 359 yards 7x in his career as well. He’s one time all pro, NFL MVP, and has made it to the Super Bowl.
In a Bleacher Report article “What makes the Carolina Panthers Offense so tough to stop?” by Zach Kruse, Kruse highlighted how in 2015 the Carolina Panthers scored 54 touchdowns with Cam Newton accounting for 45 of them. Kruse attributed this to not only a dynamic Cam Newton but a run game he described as being “deep as the ocean”.
Newton, Kruse said, ran for 132 times during the NFL’s regular season, which was the most by any QB in 2015. Steve Carrol also said that Cam was dynamic. During that season, defenses were so afraid of Cam scrambling, that they had to play the run on most cases. This, as many fans know, opens up the play action pass.
2015 was undoubtably the best year in Cam Newton’s career. The question is, “What team is in a position to replicate the 2015 Panthers?
I have a firm belief that one who has reached the mountain top can do so again. That being said, if a team was able to surround Cam Newton with talent, he could reach that mountain top again.
Jonathan Stewart:242 rushes for 989 yards, 6 TDs, 16 catches for 99 yards and 1 TD
Corey Brown: 31 catches for 447 yards, 4 TDs, 6 rushes for 38 yards
Ted Ginn: 44 catches for 739 yards, 10 Td, 4 rushers for 60 yards
Ed Dickerson: 17 for 121 yards and 2 TDS
Greg Olsen: 77 catches for 1,104 yards and 7 TDS
These were some of the players who surrounded Cam Newton during his best season. Headed by OC Mike Shula, the Panthers scored 500 points in 2015 (#1). To put this season in context, in 2003, the Panthers lost in Super Bowl XXXVIII after scoring 325 points all year. One could say that it was the defense that allowed such a great year, but the 2003 Panthers team allowed 304 points; the 2015 team allowed only 308 points all season. The dynamic factor was Cam Newton.
Will the Patriots take Cam Newton? No.
The Patriots do not have the ability to surround Cam with powerful offensive assets. The Patriots, as it stands, have roughly $2 Million (give or take) in cap space. This means, they would have to trade their souls away or release top names to come close to that 2015 Panthers team.
Bill Belichick has a guy in Jarret Stidham 4th Round 133rd overall draft pick. Stidham, former Auburn QB, is, in my opinion, still a project QB. He’s a fourth-round guy so he’s not a total loss if he doesn’t pan and he’s going to sit behind Hoyer for a season unless he beats him out right.
Stidham has good feet and good pocket presence. This is something that Bill loves.
Bill certainly has full confidence in himself to coach up and nurture the young Stidham. Stidham doesn’t have a big arm, but I believe Bill will put a system in place for the young QB. My rationale is to put Brian Hoyer in place of Brady and keep Stidham on the Bill’s teat for another year (Eww…teat).
Where does Cam go?
There is no definitive answer as to where Cam Newton will go. The best place, however, for Cam to go to is the Los Angeles Chargers. Although the Chargers lost running back Melvin Gordon, Head Coach Anthony Lynn has had an impressive 12-4 2018 season.
Right now, he has a QB in Tyrod Taylor. Taylor was impressive with the Buffalo Bills, but he hasn’t been able to attain that starting role since. Now Taylor is a great facilitator, but Cam is that more talented: big arm and great running ability. Some are talking about Cam going to Miami, I don’t see it. If I was Cam I don’t know if I’d want to go to Miami either.
In sum, the Patriots aren’t going for Cam, but Cam still has tremendous value but in a heavily QB laden NFL. If a team is willing to take a shot on the former MVP and add a supporting cast, they could be looking towards many good seasons to come.
My caveat: don’t be surprised if Cam isn’t immediately signed; he may be called upon by a team who has lost out in the draft, a team that is desperate, or a team who is waiting until Cam becomes desperate. Remember, Andy Dalton is still available. With that said, where do you think Cam Newton goes?
Sources:
Doug Kyed:
Zach Kruse:
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2612618-what-makes-the-panthers-offense-so-tough-to-stop
2015 Panthers Pro Football Reference:
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/car/2015_roster.htm
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