Cam Newton could be back on the field with the Carolina Panthers in the very near future. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Newton’s injured foot has healed well and he’s expected to practice with the team after the bye week which could be on Monday. Right now, the Panthers are off this week after facing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in London on Sunday. Their next game will be on Oct. 27 when they take on the undefeated San Francisco 49ers.
Panthers head coach Ron Rivera recently told reporters he wasn’t going to address the quarterback situation until Newton was 100 percent healthy.
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“Until he’s 100 percent, until he’s ready to roll, we’re not going to address it,” Rivera said. “He’s been around. We just don’t want him standing on the sideline for four-and-a-half hours for no reason. We didn’t want to take him on an eight-and-a-half, nine-hour flight. People need to understand the man has done everything we’ve asked. I’m trying to stay true to what I told him. I’m not going to put that kind of pressure on him.
“Until we have it confirmed with our doctors, we’re going to continue to do what we’re doing.”
When it comes down to it, there’s is no rush to bring Newton back because of the way Kyle Allen has played in his absence. Since taking over the starting QB position in Week Three, the Panthers are undefeated and Allen has completed nearly 66 percent of his passes while throwing for 901 yards, seven touchdowns and zero interceptions. So it’s very possible that Newton could be on the sidelines when he does return.
“Here is how one Panthers source broke it down: If the team wins, the status quo reigns, as Allen likely keeps his job as Newton makes a slow and steady return to the field from his mid-foot sprain. If Carolina loses to Tampa Bay, it’s up in the air, but potentially it paves the way for Newton to return to his starting post when healthy,” Ian Rapoport of NFL Media wrote.
Newton suffered the foot injury during the preseason, but he tried to play through it. After the Panthers’ Week Two loss to the Buccaneers, Newton was taken out of the lineup to get healthy. He has been the team’s starting QB since 2011 and he led the team to Super Bowl appearance in 2015 while winning the MVP award the same year.
