Is Cam Newton Going to Revive His Career at New England?

CHARLOTTE, NC – JANUARY 03: Cam Newton #1 of the Carolina Panthers takes the field against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Bank of America Stadium on January 3, 2016 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

Cam Newton has always been a solid quarterback in the NFL, but many people seem to think that his injuries have robbed him of his true peak. The injury concerns for Cam are definitely warranted, but I think he is undoubtedly going to be in the MVP conversation during the upcoming NFL season. Everyone remembers his stellar 2015 MVP season that ended in a tragic Super Bowl loss to the Denver Broncos. However, his 2018 season is one that is comparable to his 2015 campaign. For example, his 2018 season showcased better accuracy throwing the ball with his best completion percentage of his entire career at 67.94%. This is a major improvement from his 2015 completion percentage, which was 59.8%. Cam threw for 500 fewer yards during his 2018 season, but he also threw 24 fewer passes that year. He had 24 passing touchdowns, which is second to his career-high of 35 touchdowns in 2015. His interceptions were similar in both years, although he did throw three more in 2018. His rushing statistics are also very comparable, as he averaged 4.8 yards per carry in both 2015 and 2018. Additionally, he only played 14 games in his 2018 season, whereas he played all 16 games in 2015. These statistics speak volumes to how much he was progressing as a quarterback and showcase that he can still be a top tier quarterback in the NFL. Sadly, his 2019 campaign was doomed in the preseason when he injured his foot. He attempted to play the first two games of the regular season, but it was obvious that he was playing far from 100%. The fact that Cam was not signed to anyone until this past month shows how much the 2019 season damaged his reputation as a quarterback. The New England Patriots have opted to take a shot on Cam for the upcoming season, although he will compete with fellow Auburn alumni Jarrett Stidham for the starting job. Cam will most likely win the job within the first few weeks of the regular season, if not even earlier. He has a lot to prove to all the teams that doubted him, especially the Carolina Panthers. They got rid of their quarterback for the past nine years without a second thought. It would not surprise me if he takes the Patriots to yet another Super Bowl and proves to the league that he still has what it takes to be a top tier quarterback.