Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
While Cam Newton was recovering from ankle surgery last offseason, the Carolina Panthers signed Joe Webb to come in and take some of the reps in camp away from backup Derek Anderson. He would also serve as an insurance policy in case Newton wasn’t 100 percent by the start of the regular season. Not only did Webb serve those two roles admirably, he made the 53-man roster and contributed greatly last season, even though he never took a snap under center.
Webb is the only player in the NFL who plays quarterback, wide receiver and special teams. Although for his career, Webb only has seven catches for 58 yards, he has the ability to fill in at wide receiver if there’s an injury during the game, or if the Panthers want to run a trick play with him and Newton. Honestly, I believe he could be a solid slot receiver if the Panthers gave him a real shot.
On special teams, Webb plays on kick coverages. That’s a quarterback playing on kick and punt coverage, which is absolutely insane. While Dallas Cowboys rookie quarterback Jameill Showers may be the first quarterback to return kicks in recent memory, covering kicks takes a lot more skill than using your athletic ability to run with the football. Webb has to be able to shed blocks, tackle and use his speed to get down the field quickly.
As a quarterback, Webb has led to the Panthers to two consecutive come from behind wins. During those two games, Webb is 20-of-32 passing for 238 yards and two touchdowns, while rushing seven times for 24 yards. With the first-team struggling, Webb has been tremendous in the second half of both games. Even though they are just preseason games, a win is always better than a loss, no matter how you slice it.
He may not receive a whole lot of recognition, but Webb is an extremely valuable member of the Panthers. It’s his versatility that allows one or two more roster spots to be available for other positions because he can fill multiple roles. While other teams may have players who can play multiple positions, there’s no other player in the NFL like Webb.
Jason Fletcher is a Senior Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @JasonFletcher25, “Like” him on Facebook, or add him to your network on Google+.
