I t wasn’t THE reason the Panthers released wide receiver Steve Smith, but it was A reason. And by the sound of Cam Newton’s first meeting with a group of local media this offseason, he is very much embracing his new role as the offense’s unquestioned leader.”More has been given to me on my plate to say you have to be a leader of men, doing the proper and necessary things to reach out to players like never before,” the fourth-year quarterback said Tuesday. “I have to take more ownership in this offense, and I will.”Since Newton came into the league in 2011, a false narrative about his maturity has followed him.There’s no question he needed to handle losses better his first two seasons. He didn’t really hang out with the guys.All young quarterbacks have growing pains, but Newton’s past led many to manufacture the levels of his learning process.When the Panthers made the call to part ways with Smith, the franchise’s most popular player and the team’s most-talented receiver on a roster without many, some wondered if Newton had something to do with the decision. But it’s not like he doesn’t have plenty of experience dealing with rumors and speculation.“Did it catch me by surprise? It caught all of us – if you were in the 704 region, you were caught by surprise,” Newton said, when asked about talk that he had a say in Smith’s release. “Everybody in the Carolinas was surprised, including myself.” “But being that we did talk and still do talk, I am wishing him much success.”Perhaps it’s slightly concerning that Newton admitted he didn’t talk to his new receivers – Tiquan Underwood, Jerricho Cotchery and Jason Avant – until the majority of Panthers gathered Monday for the start of offseason workouts.But that likely means nothing. A more legitimate concern is Newton’s inability to work on the field with the made-over receiving corps. After undergoing ankle surgery last month, he has transferred from a cast and crutches to a walking boot, but he’ll sit out OTAs and mini-camp.For what it’s worth, Newton shot down concerns about not being able to be out there with the new guys until training camp, but he did confess that watching from afar right now is “like that lost kid that was in detention and can’t go to recess.””I was looking at those guys helplessly walking back to the training room,” Newton said. “It’s all for a good cause. I need to get 100 percent for myself, but my production as far as how I can get better does not stop.”Newton’s words and body language have been parsed for years, sometimes fairly, but often unnecessarily. Yet he did truly seem a bit different Tuesday.He turns 25 in less than three weeks, and just like everyone at that age, he’s more mature than he was at 21. Newton was never as immature as many made him out to be, but his specific role in his profession does require a certain combination of qualities.He got a “C” on his jersey as captain last season, but he has added responsibilities and pressures. Smith’s large presence is gone. It’s Newton’s time now.”I’m the quarterback for the Carolina Panthers/football player,” Newton said. “My job is to execute and be the best player I can be for the Carolina Panthers organization, the Carolina Panthers community and represent my name and my team.”I’m trying to get back to the playoffs and do something the Carolina Panthers haven’t done in back to back years.”[gap size=”10px”][custom_headline type=”center” level=”h4″ looks_like=”h4″] VIDEO [/custom_headline][x_video_embed type=”16:9″]