Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton on Thursday provided his first public thoughts on the team's drafting of Will Grier in the third round.
Grier became the first quarterback the Panthers drafted since Newton in 2011, and some might believe the addition of another young signal-caller could provide tension.
Newton, however, fully embraced Grier's selection with a warm smile.
"A lot of people -- the natural -- you would think that I feel intimidated," Newton said at the grand opening of his cigar bar and restaurant in Atlanta, via Josh Sims of FOX 46. "That's not the case here.
"I reached out to Will. I actually seen Will play in high school with him being in Charlotte and I'm just excited. Like I said, for him to come on a team that I know he possesses a rare talent and I'm excited."
Grier, the 100th overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft, won't be a challenge to Newton's position as the clear established starter any time soon.
Panthers general manager Marty Hurney emphasized after the draft that the team's use of a third-round pick on Grier bolstered depth at the quarterback position, and was not an indictment on Newton.
"Cam Newton is our starting quarterback and franchise quarterback," Hurney told reporters, via the Panthers' official website. "This is just about bringing in young guys to develop and depth."
With Newton entrenched atop the depth chart, Grier will compete against backup quarterbacks Taylor Heinicke and Kyle Allen for a spot on the roster.
And as far as what Newton will do, he remains focused on getting all his teammates ready for the upcoming season as one of the team's leaders.
"I want to make sure that I'm the best teammate, my best self, for everyone," he said.
