The Carolina Panthers got off to a dreadful start last season, but after turning things around late in the year, quarterback Cam Newton gave the team some hope going forward and as the offseason moves into the summer he will be preparing to take the Panthers to the next level.

Newton was seen as a diva coming out of college and while that has come up at times during his NFL career, he has been doing a much better job at being a leader and that is one reason why he said that he hopes to be a team captain someday soon. According to the Charlotte Observer, Newton said in an interview that he hopes to earn the respect of the team to become a team captain and after a number of columns ripped him, some have rallied around and are hoping that Newton can turn things around.

Newton has been seen as a "mopey" player that can get down when things are going back and his maturity has been called into question multiple times after calling out his team after losses over the past two seasons. Now in his third season in the league, Newton feels that he is in the position where he can get to the point where he can be a team captain. Jordan Gross and receiver Steve Smith are offensive captains and if Newton doesn't start to shape up, it will be hard for him to take a leadership role with the team.

Newton wasn't asking for anything in the column and said he wanted to earn it and he was just simply answering a question when asked. The situation highlights a broader point for Newton and the Panthers and if he can get things together, the team could be scary this year. New ton was fantastic while wining rookie of the year after being the number one pick and while he regressed last season, many wondered if it was a sophomore slump or something more. Newton finished with 3869 yards passing and 19 touchdowns, down from last season, but he also added 741 yards rushing and eight touchdowns a year after scoring 14 and if he can cut down on turnovers and become more of a leader in the same vein that Tim Tebow is, Newton could be in for a big season and so will the Panthers.