Cam Newton Is a Perfect Candidate for a Sophomore Slump

Carolina's Cam Newton is having a terrific season, but he is a candidate for a sophomore slump.

A slump doesn't just mean poor play, but also a lack of development. And Newton's sophomore season will be seen as a failure because he won't increase his team's win total and he will continue to throw interceptions and have limited progression as a passer.

Expectations in Carolina are rising, mainly because of the good play of Cam Newton. He has the entire organization feeling hopeful about the future and many will expect to see a significant increase wins next season.

But the Panthers will need to upgrade several positions for that to happen, and a failure to increase the win total will be seen as a failure by Cam Newton.

While Newton has made some exceptional plays, he has also thrown a lot of interceptions. Rookie quarterbacks are expected to make mistakes, but those mistakes wont be tolerated in year two.

The fact is that Newton still needs to make improvements in his ability to pass the football. He needs to do a better job reading coverages and processing information.

A lot of Newton's early success can be attributed to offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski. Chudzinski has developed a game plan that allows Newton to find success, and many feel that Newton's success will earn Chudzinski a head coaching opportunity.

The loss of Chudzinski would really stunt the growth of Newton.

He would likely be forced to learn a new offensive system, which is always a challenge for a young quarterback. This would be Newton's third new offense in three years.

Newton needs to focus on improving his decision-making and coverage identification, not learning a new offense.

Newton has a very bright future, but things seem to be pointing towards a sophomore slump. At the very least, Newton seems unlikely to meet expectations. Expectations that will be through the roof.