When it comes to Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, you either love him or hate him.
Such is the case when you're a ridiculously talented athlete who still makes some questionable calls. Divisiveness just comes with the territory.
Newton is under contract with the Panthers for just one more season, which means the franchise has to make a big decision very soon. Do they commit to Newton as their franchise quarterback or do they look for a better option?
Solid arguments can be made on both sides of the issue. On one hand, Newton is just 30-31-1 as a starter in four seasons. The Panthers are just 1-2 in the playoffs in that span, with their lone win coming against the Ryan Lindley-led Arizona Cardinals.
On the other hand, Newton has proven to be a rare combination of athleticism and strength as both a passer and a rusher. Newton's 2,571 career rushing yards are the most by a quarterback since he was drafted first overall in 2011. His 4,051 passing yards that year is a record for a rookie QB.
So, which route will the Panthers take when it comes time to discuss a new contract?
"I don't see a choice," Tom Sorensen of the Charlotte Observer wrote. "The Panthers have several talented employees in the front office and locker room that they can replace if they have to. Newton is not one of them."
Newton fought through a bevy of injuries this season, including an ankle that required offseason surgery, a broken rib and two broken bones in his back. Adding to his troubles was the fact that Carolina released leading receiver Steve Smith Sr. in the offseason. Despite all of the turnover and physical ailments, Newton still managed to complete 59 percent of his passes and throw for 3,127 yards with 18 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He added 539 rushing yards and five scores on the ground for good measure.
Sorensen acknowledges that there is a certain amount of risk involved with committing to Newton long-term. But he also recognizes that the reward of such a move is far more tantalizing.
"Offering him franchise quarterback money, $100 million, say, is a gamble," Sorensen wrote. "Newton obviously has the physical gifts to meet franchise-quarterback requirements. But he's more than an athlete. He improved markedly this season at working from the pocket and finding secondary receivers.
"He also emerged as a leader. You saw it during training camp. You saw it during the team's six-game losing streak. His line was abysmal. Yet he never complained, gestured or whined. When he did criticize, he criticized his own work. I'd take the gamble. I'd bet on Newton."
The big question is, after a three-turnover performance against the Seattle Seahawks this weekend, will the Panthers be willing to make that same bet?
"Most of us are true to our traditions," Sorensen wrote. "Carolina's tradition would have been to sign Newton after the 2013 season. It didn't. This suggests uncertainty. But is that uncertainty the team's or Team Newton's?"
If I was a betting man like Sorensen, I would wager that Carolina works out a long-term extension for Newton in the $100-plus million range. The Chicago Bears gave Jay Cutler $126 million, after all. There just isn't too many 6-foot-5, 245 pound quarterbacks who run a 4.59 40-yard dash and have passed for over 4,000 yards in the NFL. When you find one like that, you tend to hold on to him.
