Carolina Panthers: 2015 Was Cam Newton’s Year Of Development

2015 has been a compelling year across the National Football League. One of the more interesting stories to watch is the development of one, Cam Newton. The Carolina Panthers franchise quarterback not only turned the corner with his performance on the field, but he set the tone for what should be an exciting future in what is still a very young career. Super Bowl win or not, Newton used 2015 to set the stage for how young QBs need to develop.

While numbers are usually the first talking point when discussing improvement within sports; Newton’s stats line isn’t the end all, be all for the 26-year old. Newton ended the year with 3,837 yards passing, 35 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. These are important numbers for a number of reasons.

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First, 35 touchdowns is a massive leap over his previous career high of 24 which came in 2013. This comes with a depleted receiving core that was carried by a tight end in Greg Olsen. Still, he found a way to not only increase his accuracy from every point on the field, but he showed a great improvement in making decisions as his turnover numbers dropped drastically. The year started off shaky, but by the end of October Newton would finish the season with only 3 interceptions for the final two months of the season.

When the 2015 season started Newton referenced a goal to compete 60 percent of his passes throughout the year. He finished up with 59.8 percent but this should be marked as a “success” for the year. His QB Rating and QBR both saw a direct impact as both of those numbers reached career highs as well.

One of the most important changes that Newton displayed was in the run game. A consummate double-threat at the QB position, Newton changed the frequency that he runs the ball. Even though his 132 attempts are the second highest total in his career, part of this was due to the injuries that hit Jonathan Stewart and his penchant to run in the red zone and short-yardage situations. History has many examples of running QBs that were wrecked due to injury and Newton dialing back his ability to run will have a huge impact on his longevity.

Newton may not have the star-studded roster as some of his peers on other teams. But he’s using and complementing each individual in a way that accentuates their skills, along with his own. That is one of the most important designations of the word “leader.”

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In 2011 many wondered if Cam Newton would be the right choice to take as the top pick in the NFL Draft. His first two years were full of growth, but the mediocre fourth year left many people questioning his position on the team. When he signed a massive new deal to start this season, the leadership in Carolina was showing their trust in this young player. Sixteen games later he’s not only showing that he’s worth every penny, but he has the ability to set the bar for a new generation of play callers.