The Carolina Panthers are entering the 2013 season with plenty of expectations after quarterback Cam Newton led the team to a hot finish last year and as training camp moves into the preseason, head coach Ron Rivera is looking for players to step up as they try to challenge in the NFC South.
Newton is entering into his third season in the NFL and after helping the team come back from a rough start last year, upper management is expecting winning results and possibly the first playoff appearance for the team in a number of years. The team added an under the radar option in free agency with Domenik Hixon and if running backs Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams can stay healthy, Newton will be able to keep the defense honest much more often. Last season Newton led the team and rushing and while he should run often in this offensive scheme, if he leads the team in rushing again it likely means they won't be in the playoffs.
Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman has praised Newton thoroughly this offseason and he said that he is very confident that he is the player to take the team to the playoffs. Gettleman spoke about his production over the first two seasons of his career with nearly 8,000 yards passing and 40 touchdowns as well as his 1,447 yards rushing and 20 scores. Newton has shown that he is one of the most athletic and explosive players in the NFL and with his size he has the potential to be a dominant quarterback and a dominant player in the league. Newton has already won rookie of the year and if he continues to play well and can limit turnovers this season, he could be in the mix for MVP.
The Panthers are expecting veterans to perform in players like Jordan Gross, Chris Gamble, Greg Olsen, Jon Beason, Ryan Kalil and James Anderson and along with Williams and Stewart there is plenty of talent on the roster. The team is undergoing some changes on the offensive side of the ball after letting go of offensive lineman Geoff Hangartner in training camp after he started 12 games last season, putting the right guard position open for someone to win. Gross said he was surprised by the move and now it is likely that Garry Williams will be the next player up, as he started 20 games over his first four seasons.
"He's really physically gifted obviously," Gettleman said. "He's gotten better and he keeps improving. What you're looking for is ascension, and he consistently does it. He's had a good training camp. It's a maturation process."
