The Carolina Panthers continue to say all the right things about Cam Newton's recovery. The star quarterback underwent another procedure on his shoulder after the season, which of course raised eyebrows. The team had previously said Newton was hoping to avoid another surgery, so it was concerning.
That being said, they've insisted all along that Newton's situation isn't like Andrew Luck's and that he'll be healthy for the 2019 season. Speaking after a recent OTA practice, Panthers coach Ron Rivera reiterated that. Rivera said he was “very optimistic” that Newton will be throwing the ball by training camp, per Darrin Grant of ProFootballTalk.com.
“It’s a really big not-that-big-of-a-deal,” Rivera said. “With the exception of throwing the ball physically, he does everything else.”
While it's nice that Rivera is feeling positive, obviously throwing the ball is the name of the game.
Newton has reportedly been working to the side with trainers and also helping out with the young quarterbacks on the roster during the offseason program. One of those young quarterbacks is Will Grier, who the Panthers took late in the third round last month.
When the Panthers drafted the West Virginia product, it immediately raised concerns about Newton's shoulder. The team has since insisted the selection had nothing to do with Newton's health, and that they just really liked Grier.
Rivera did say “there is no time frame” for Newton to start throwing, even though he's confident he'll be back by camp. The Panthers raced out to a 6-2 record last year but fell into a downward spiral as Newton's shoulder deteriorated. Eventually, they shut Newton down with a couple of games to go.
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