Cam Newton’s Just Not Ready…Yet

Watching Cam Newton play traditional quarterback for the Carolina Panthers this pre season showed lot’s of promise. Newton made some good throws, some good runs, and some good decisions. However the bad outweighed the good in my honest opinion. Learning how to play quarterback in a traditional manner will take some time. How much time depends on how hard this young man is willing to work.

As of now, there is no doubt in my mind that Derrick Anderson is the better answer at quarterback. Anderson is a proven veteran and Newton could learn a lot about the position watching and practicing. Things and people move very fast on the NFL playing field. It takes time to get used to doing something different than you are used to. Let’s take a look at a few quarterbacks from various offensive styles in college and look at how they fair in the NFL now.

People don’t remember that Aaron Rodgers was a spread quarterback in college. At California Rodgers ran the spread using his athletic ability and versatility similar to Newton. Rodgers came in the league and was able to sit absorb the coaching and finally live up to being what everyone thought he could be.

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How Does The Lockout Affect Plaxico Burress

When Plaxico Burress returns to the NFL… Maybe I should say if Plaxico Burress gets the chance to return to the NFL, the market for him will be interesting. You have to wonder how long it will take to shake off two and a half years of rust. You also have to wonder if he will get insane ex-con treatment that others including Michael Vick and Maurice Clarett have gotten.

When Plaxico left the game he was one of the elite receivers. He was leading the Giants to another Super Bowl and he was on top of the world. One thing about humility is that sometimes it makes us greater. Plaxico has had a lot of time to sit around and find himself. He has also had time to search the annals of which greatness can occur. The man was once a Super Bowl hero, a giant of sorts who led a team to an improbable Super Bowl victory over the undefeated New England Patriots.

The lockout has changed the dynamics of the return of Plaxico. It's not that he can't play, but the fact that no negotiations can take place for him and he needs to get the ball rolling as soon as possible. Getting into a camp is essential for a guy who hasn't played in a while. But does that hurt or help. You have to think that even veteran guys are going to be rusty as well without mini camps and OTA's to get them ready for a season.

The thing is, Plax may come back a little heavy and a step or two slower but if he puts in the work, it shouldn’t be a problem. You have to figure with the right work ethic and a good trainer that should be back to or close to normal in about a half a season. The NFL is a tricky beast though. I have seen people, including myself, who once ostracized could never get a chance to perform again because of indifference. The thing is there are a lot of really good people who never get a chance to play the game on that level. It’s not because they weren’t good enough, some were never given the chance to play, while others were just not in a system that fit their ability.

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