Three-and-a-half years ago, Cam Newton was coming off a Super Bowl appearance with the Carolina Panthers. He had led them to a franchise-best 15-1 record and was recognized as the most valuable player in the National Football League.
Now, there are questions as to whether Newton – that quarterback that was on top of the football world just four seasons ago – will regain the starting quarterback job from an undrafted second-year player when he fully returns from his Lisfranc injury. Based on what we’ve seen from Newton recently, that skepticism is warranted, but in order to better evaluate what decision the Panthers should make, it’s best to take a step back and look at the big picture for both candidates.