It’s no secret that Cam Newton has struggled mightily since taking the Carolina Panthers to Super Bowl 50. But could he really be on the hot seat?
That’s something ESPN’s David Newton threw out there in an article about NFC South players and coaches on the hot seat.
“This is a big year for Newton with a new offensive coordinator and system,” Newton wrote. “If he doesn’t show improvement after consecutive down years, there will be a lot of questions about his future.”
The past two years, Newton has completed under 56 percent of his passes while throwing 41 touchdowns and 30 interceptions. During the team’s 2015 season he completed nearly 60 percent of his passes while throwing 35 touchdowns and just 10 interceptions.
So, clearly, Newton is capable of playing the quarterback position at a high level.
One of the issues he’s faced it that his offensive line has repeatedly been understaffed, and as a result Newton has taken way too many hits.
The Panthers brought in the legendary Norv Turner this offseason to fix the offense after firing offensive coordinator Mike Shula and quarterback coach Ken Dorsey. The hope, obviously, is that Turner will be able to craft an offense that caters to Newton’s strengths.
If Newton can get back to his 2015 form, then the Panthers will be Super Bowl contenders once again. If he struggles, it might be too early to say he’s on the hot seat, but you have to believe some within the organization will begin to question his long-term viability after three straight poor campaigns.