Former Panthers RB DeAngelo Williams backs Cam Newton
DeAngelo Williams played alongside Cam Newton on the Carolina Panthers for four years, from 2011 to 2014. And he believes that once fresh-faced rookie he helped welcome to the league 11 years ago should still be in it.
Williams joined podcast hosts Meghan Triplett and C.J. Hurt for Wednesday’s edition of Rise & Grind. When talking about the New York Jets’ current situation under center, the former running back compared his old teammate to Joe Flacco—who is currently backing up 2021 second overall pick Zach Wilson.
He’d assert that if Flacco is considered a starting quarterback—a recent thought expressed by Jets head coach Robert Saleh—then Newton certainly should be as well.
“I’m just tryna figure out how it’s okay for you to tell me, or tell anybody, that Joe Flacco is a starting quarterback in this league, but Cam Newton isn’t,” Williams said. “So I’m tryna figure out—what are we doing here? Is Joe Flacco a starting quarterback in this league. In my opinion, I don’t think so. Ever. I mean, he was Trent Dilfer. That’s who Joe Flacco was. But what do y’all think though? And I’m not going racial with this. I’m just goin’ by talent. Talent and talent alone.”
There’s obviously no question that Newton, then and now, has more talent than Flacco. But what Newton doesn’t have is an opportunity to his liking.
As he has stated, the former Most Valuable Player will wait on a scenario in which he won’t have to compromise too much of himself. Until then, Flacco is closer to a start than Newton is.
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