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In the eyes of his peers, Cam Newton took a significant step back last season. Coming off an MVP season and leading Carolina to Super Bowl 50 after winning the NFC, Newton and the Panters were unable to capture that same magic during the 2016 campaign. Carolina finished in with a 6-10 regular season record, which was good for last place in the NFC South last year.
Following a significant dip in his production, NFL players have now voted Newton as the league’s No. 44 player this offseason after ranking him No. 1 this time last year.
While struggling to live up to his lofty 2015 season, Newton had the worst completion percentage of his six-year NFL career last season. He also attempted fewer rushes and ran for fewer yards than at any time in his career and by a wide margin.
Here’s what NFL.com listed in its Top 100 reveal section regarding Newton:
Newton began the 2016 season with a target on his back. It was evident in Denver’s Week 1 concentrated bashing of the star quarterback, and it showed throughout Carolina’s struggle-filled campaign. Newton falls nearly halfway through the entire Top 100, from No. 1 last year to No. 44. The 2016 season was a far cry from his dab-filled frolic to Super Bowl 50.
As he enters his seventh season in the NFL, Newton will only be 28 years old during the 2017 campaign. Given how well some quarterbacks are playing at an advanced age, such as Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Peyton Manning and Brett Favre before them, it’s not hard to conceive Newton playing at a high level for another decade should he manage to rebound from his tough year.
Judging by comments made by his head coach Ron Riveria this offseason, the team isn’t so worried about Newton’s rough year as they are providing him the help necessary to play at a high level this season.
“The young man went through a tough time, and we went through a tough time because of the injuries that occurred on the offensive line,” Riveria said during the NFL’s Annual Meetings. “That was probably the biggest thing, and it goes to show the importance, the significance, of being able to protect your quarterback.”
While it may be a surprise to see Newton drop so far in the rankings, it’s a good bet he’ll climb back up the charts before long, especially considering he has the help of rookie running back Christian McCaffrey on his side to help shoulder the load on offense for Carolina.
A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Michael Wayne Bratton oversees the news coverage for Saturday Down South. Michael previously worked for FOX Sports and NFL.com
