When the Panthers signed quarterback Cam Newton to a contract extension this offseason, General Manager Dave Gettleman said that the team believes that Newton will “take us to the promised land.”
Not everyone is as convinced as Gettleman about Newton’s ability to take the Panthers to those heights with many citing Newton’s career completion percentage of 59.5 as a reason why he won’t get them over the hump. Gettleman acknowledges there’s room for growth in Newton’s game but that it’s just part of the process of growing into his job.
“He’s developing at a solid rate,” Gettleman said, via ESPN.com. “We’re excited about having him. He just needs to continue to hone his game. He’ll get better. [His accuracy is] like anything else, he’ll get better. I get frustrated because everybody wants a guy to be great yesterday. It doesn’t work like that. And oh, by the way, he’s trying to do his job while people are trying to rip his lungs out. People don’t want to get it. We gave him what we gave him because we believe very strongly in him.”
Gettleman also said he thinks this year’s receiving group is the best that Newton has worked with since joining the Panthers, something that should help Newton’s development in his fifth season with the team. Better offensive line play would help as well because nothing will stunt Newton’s growth quicker than an injury that knocks him out of the lineup for an extended period of time.