Jump to content
  • Welcome!

    Register and log in easily with Twitter or Google accounts!

    Or simply create a new Huddle account. 

    Members receive fewer ads , access our dark theme, and the ability to join the discussion!

     

Charlotte Observer: Fact or Fiction


pantherfan81

Recommended Posts

Cam Newton comes to town this week for the job interview that could make him the first pick in this month's NFL draft.

He'll talk football with the Carolina Panthers, who own that pick, but perhaps as many of the questions will be about off-the-field topics. From controversies at each college stop to scouting reports that border on personal attacks, Newton has always been in the eye of the storm, for reasons that only occasionally involve his play.

The Panthers have to decide if the potential payoff is worth the alleged risk.

"They want to know everything; They want to know who I really am," Newton said when asked what teams want to see when he makes in-house visits. "During this whole process, I've done a lot of explaining of who I really am. And I'm extremely comfortable with that, because I know this is a multi-million dollar investment, and they have to know who they're picking.

"You know, it's fun, and I look forward to talking to team after team about who I really am."

Who that is depends on who you listen to.

Former coaches describe him as a grinder and a leader. Critics call him a thief and a phony. Game tape shows a different kind of athlete, a quarterback who could change the way the position is played.

When he arrives in Charlotte on Tursday, he'll have a chance to state his case, including during a meeting with owner Jerry Richardson.

Read more: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/04/02/2192205/newton-fact-or-fiction.html#ixzz1IPsSp8DZ
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Am I the only one that doesn't see Cam Newton "redefining" the quarterback position, even if he becomes an elite QB?

People have been throwing that idea around for years, and it's never happened. And these days, with the rules changed to heavily favor passing, I strongly doubt that it ever will.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There are reasons bigger than Cam Newton that are redefining the QB position. In 20 years there will be more Cam Newtons than Andrew Lucks in the NFL. It has a lot more to do with the changes to college football offenses and the willingness or even necessity to have athletes at the QB position.

Even pro style schools like UNC have changed their recruiting to target more athletes at the position.

Pretty soon the NFL will have little choice but to evolve because the amount of classical pocket passers available will be diminished.

20 years ago almost all college QBs were drop back passers. Now they are a rarity.

Even Andrew Luck is a more mobile type QB.

I could write 20 pages on this but I will cut it off there. :p

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Why do you think that being a mobile QB is somehow redefining the position?

I don't think mobile quarterbacks are redefining the position as much as the position in college is evolving to where the premium is on mobile QBs.

An athlete with Cam Newton's attributes would have never played QB 20 years ago. He would have become a reciever or a TE. Not that he isn't a capable QB but an athlete like that back then would be more beneficial to the team at another position.

But as offenses continue to evolve in college there is more emphasis on athletic QBs. Before long there will be more athletes at QB like Cam than traditional drop back passers like Mallett. I am not implying drop back passers will become obsolete, but there will be less of them bc there is less demand for them in the college game.

Then if Luck busts you will see a big change on how the QB position is evaluated in the future.

Again these are just cliff notes. It would take several pages to make my case.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


  • PMH4OWPW7JD2TDGWZKTOYL2T3E.jpg

  • Topics

  • Posts

    • Would Morgan or Beason have been HOFers' if injuries hadn't derailed their careers?  I was not a close watcher of the game when Morgan was in his prime but I thought Beason had a few seasons at close to Lukes' level of play.
    • Franchise QBs feast when things are rolling and the tide that raises boats when things are going sideways.  Bryce isn't that. He's a complimentary player, that's it.  When the defense and STs are on point, he plays loose and it shows.  When we are in a dog fight and things haven't gone our way, he struggles.  It's that simple. He's not a horrible QB, but he's not top tier either.  So the question begs, is this worthy of a second contract?  The answer should be no.  It definitely is my answer. Bryce will never be a QB that can produce wins largely on his arm.  That's a FRANCHISE QB, any other QB is simply a placeholder at the starter's position until that guy can be found.   At some point the excuses of lack of weapons will be a straw man.  Heck, it's nearly there now.  I mean if he doesn't look even better than last year will we blame it on the TE position?  'Well if Bryce only had a player like Kelce, Kittle or Gronk on this team...'  Are we really going to do that?  
    • When I arrived at college, I was 18, not too much younger than some of these draft picks.  It was not a huge school, but there were guys on the team who were 21, 22, 23....playing ahead of me.  I was seventh on the depth chart.  Those guys have been through a few seasons, were stronger, more knowledgeable.  I was a better raw player than some of them, but those other factors matter.  As I grew stronger, more familiar with the playbook, and learned what it was like to play in college, I gradually improved and with that, I rose up the depth chart.  It took most of my freshman year for the light to come on.  Had the coach thrown me into the starting lineup day 1, I would have probably failed.    And that was college.  So I agree with you based on my experience on a much lower level.  Frankly, I think that is why so many kids drafted to fill huge gaps bust.  The teams are desperate.  Anyone who looks to fill vacancies in the starting lineup through the draft is desperate.  You draft depth to develop.  For this reason, I say, "Let Walker start for a while."  Maybe Brazzell can be our WR 4.  Throw Hunter into a rotation and ask him to do one or two things.  Freeling needs some strength and he needs to work on run blocking.
×
×
  • Create New...