Buzz has been building around the Carolina Panthers offense for 2017, but will Cam Newton and co. live up to the hype?
On paper, the Carolina Panthers had a strong offense heading into 2016. Unfortunately, the offense did not play up to par with the level of talent that was on that side of the ball. Their strength remained only on paper. Now heading into 2017, head coach Ron Rivera is speaking very highly of the unit in the offseason and the expectations are growing.
Rookies Christian McCaffrey and Curtis Samuel add value and youth to a group that already included Kelvin Benjamin, Devin Funchess, Jonathan Stewart, Greg Olsen and others. At first glance, this unit can create a number of mismatches, because these players can line up in a variety of places. The Panthers already had a strong run attack and the passing game is capable of big plays at a moment’s notice.
Rivera spoke highly of this group and their offseason work to date when speaking with Sirius XM NFL, via NFL.com:
More from NFL Spin Zone
- Dallas Cowboys made the trade everyone else should have made
- Pittsburgh Steelers rookie sleeper everyone should be talking about
- Anthony Richardson putting jaw-dropping talent on display immediately
- Denver Broncos’ stud wide receiver might be out for a while
- Washington Commanders: Three takeaways from win over Ravens
"“We’ve got what we feel like has the potential to be an explosive offense. And yes, a lot of the idea is to take the pressure off our quarterback, and take some of the hits off of him as well.”"
With Stewart signing a one-year extension with the Panthers, expect him to be ready to prove himself once again. He’s struggled with injuries in the past, but has played in 13 games and brought in nearly 1,000 yards in each of the past two seasons. Yet, the rushing game doesn’t truly start with Stewart.
Instead, it starts with Cam Newton, and the big question is whether or not he’s going to return to the level that helped him earn the MVP in 2015. In the same interview with Sirius XM NFL, Rivera noted that they’ll look to be more “judicious” with the quarterback’s carries, relying on the backs to shoulder the load. He elaborated (via ESPN):
"“One of the things he does … and this is something a lot of people don’t understand, too, is he will stand tall in that pocket and he will wait ’til the last minute before he throws it.More from Carolina PanthersA silver lining to the Carolina Panthers rough preseason?2023 NFL Season: NFC South shaping up to be an exciting division5 NFL teams who missed playoffs in 2022 but will make it in 20232023 NFL Season: Way too early picks for division winnersFantasy Football: Undervalued, sleeper RBs to target in drafts in 2023“That’s one of his strengths, having that ability and that patience to stand tall in the pocket. But again, we’ve got to be smart and he’s got to understand that the best thing for him is getting the ball out of his hands and getting it downfield.”"
Last season, Newton was sacked 36 times, but it was the number of times that he was hit — specifically in the head — which caused concern. By the end of the season Newton remained on the sideline because of injuries to both his shoulder to avoid him taking more unnecessary shots.
Newton had shoulder surgery during the offseason, and it limited his ability to throw the ball earlier in the spring and summer. It seems like the Panthers are finally taking steps to relieve some of the pressure on Newton to get the job done with his legs. In turn, they’ll rely more on his ability as a passer.
Next: NFL 2017: Each team's biggest question before training camp
This roster should make fans excited for the coming year. But much of that excitement hinges on whether or not Newton can return to form. The NFC South has improved throughout, and the chances of the Panthers dominating are slim. This offseason, the team has taken steps to rebuild that group. However, the question is whether or not the group can deliver results, and not just continue to look good “on paper”.