Any sort of Panthers position analysis of the guys under center for the Carolina Panthers is going to come with a huge caveat that’s also a huge question mark heading into 2019 – the biggest issue facing the Panthers is not whether they’ll add an edge rusher to improve their pass rush or find a franchise center to replace the retired Ryan Kalil.
The biggest question mark for the 2019 season – and likely multiple seasons past that – revolves around the throwing shoulder of Cam Newton.
Newton’s shoulder procedure to clean out his shoulder after battling soreness for much of the second half of the season was considered successful – Ron Rivera said that the quarterback was coming along nicely and slowly gaining range of motion back; after a 6-2 start to go with 15 touchdowns against four interceptions the first half of the season, Newton threw as many interceptions as touchdowns his final six games of the season before ceding to backups for the final two games of 2018.
The franchise quarterback of the Panthers allowed them to not have to select a QB since they made Newton the first overall pick in 2011 – that’s the longest streak in the NFL. But after Rivera said last week at the combine that they would not be adding a backup through free agency, this may be the year that streak ends – owner David Tepper made it clear when he spoke to reporters after the 2018 season ended that the Panthers would have a clear Plan B if Newton’s shoulder issues continue.
With undrafted free agent Kyle Allen – after a nice showing in the final game of the season – the only remaining quarterback on the roster and last year’s backup Taylor Heinicke a restricted free agent, that ‘Plan B’ may have been one of the 17 that just participated in the combine in Indianapolis. Last year’s “If Cam is hurt, then ‘welp'” isn’t going to cut it – especially when the spectre of an arthritic shoulder looms.
The Money
As long as Cam Newton is on the roster, the Panthers will always be above the league average for quarterbacks – the 29-year old is in the second-to-last year of his deal and is due $23.2m in 2019. That’s a steal compared to his value – he’ll make $3m less than Ryan Tannehill and only $2.2m more than Blake Bortles next season – the quarterback average contract is going up exponentially every year – just ask the Broncos, who signed Case Keenum to a two-year, $36m contract and then traded for Joe Flacco a year later. Kyle Allen, the only other QB on the roster, makes the league minimum, which is $495k; he’ll likely end up being the third-highest paid QB on the roster if the Panthers invest a 2019 draft pick in the position.
The Franchise
Cam Newton is easily the most recognizable player to ever wear a Carolina Panthers jersey – apologies to Steve Smith, Kevin Greene, Julius Peppers and other future Hall of Famers – but the 2015 MVP is the Panthers at this point in their history. So much of the team’s success relies on a healthy Cam Newton – say what you will about his playing style and whether that or a suspect offensive line for most of his career in Carolina has contributed to the quarterback’s health issues, but Newton’s injury history, from offseason ankle surgery to concussion-related issues in 2016 to the shoulder issues he’s battled over the past two season has directly impacted the team’s overall record. 16 games of a healthy Newton as a veteran quarterback produced a 15-1 season and the team’s only Super Bowl berth of the last decade; whether he has a full range of motion, is able to participate fully in offseason activities and in-season practices, and his ability to throw the ball deep is not just the most important facet of a successful Panthers season, it is the Panthers season.
While Newton is expected to be ready for training camp, that was the case in 2017 as well when he had surgery in March – the quarterback threw minimally before the season started and didn’t look right until a quarter of the way through the season, so fans will likely not breathe easily until Newton is throwing the ball deep to Curtis Samuel with a big smile on his face midway through August on the practice fields at Wofford.
Until that happens, feel free to skip over cracks in the sidewalk, pick any four-leaf clovers you see or knock on as much wood as you can find.
The Backups
With Heinicke’s status unclear as a restricted free agent and Kyle Allen, as impressive as he was in the final game of the season with 228 yards and two touchdown passes leading the Panthers to a 33-14 win in New Orleans, the backup position is certainly up in the air – was Allen’s performance a harbinger of a diamond in the rough or a gritty performance against a defense that had nothing to play for? Tepper’s comments that the team feels a little bit – not a lot – better about their quarterback situation after seeing Allen’s performance at the Superdome means that the Panthers will certainly be better prepared to move forward if Newton is forced to miss time – and that likely means adding a quarterback in the draft to compete with Allen in training camp. While Heinicke may be back, signs are pointing towards a new face in the quarterback room in 2019 – and Ron Rivera said last week at the combine in Indianapolis that they would not be using their limited cap space on a free agent quarterback who may sit behind glass for the entire season if Newton stays healthy for all of 2019.
Up in the air may be an understatement.
