Cam Newton Rookie of the Year: Panthers QB Will Outdo Himself in Second Season

If you thought Cam Newton was good as a rookie, just wait until you see what the Carolina Panthers quarterback does to the NFL in Year 2.

A tall order, to be sure, considering how he took the league by storm in 2011, though if anyone can do it, it's Newton.

The former Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 pick in the 2011 NFL Draft out of Auburn has the clear inside track on taking home the Rookie of the Year Award at the inaugural NFL Honors on Saturday. As far as first-year marks are concerned, Newton shattered Peyton Manning's rookie passing record and became the first newcomer to rush and throw for 10 touchdowns or more.

More impressively, Newton set a new single-season record for most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback and put together the first campaign in NFL history that included 4,000 yards through the air and 500 yards and double-digit touchdowns on the ground.

Oh, and he helped the Panthers score a four-win improvement, despite one of the league's softest defenses and an offense devoid of viable weapons outside of a resurgent Steve Smith.

Not bad for a guy who many (if not most) expected to be a flop. And certainly more than enough to merit his inclusion in the Pro Bowl after Eli Manning's commitment fell through on account of the Super Bowl.

There's plenty of reason to believe that Newton will be even better in 2012. Let's start with the obvious, namely that Newton will have had a full campaign under his belt to acclimate himself to the pros (and then some) and a regular offseason to hone his craft as a quarterback and work on concepts with his coaches and teammates.

Then, there's the Panthers front office, which, now equipped with a better idea of what Newton can do and what the team needs, can go out and upgrade the offense around Cam—the line, the receivers, the running backs—through the NFL Draft and free agency.

So, assuming Newton puts in the requisite work over the winter, spring and summer, and the team does its part to upgrade the rest of the roster, he could very well find himself among the league's elite quarterbacks while leading Carolina back to the playoffs in just his second NFL season.

Lofty expectations, but ones well within Newton's considerable reach.

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