Cam Newton might not be doing much in practice this week.
But the Panthers don’t seem very worried about it.
Panthers coach Ron Rivera told reporters any concerns about his quarterbacks availability against the Ravens was unfounded.
“There is no doubt,” Rivera said after Thursday’s practice (during which Newton didn’t throw in the portion open to reporters). “None at all.”
Of course, there’s a difference between being available and being as effective as he could be, or has been. Newton’s drop-off on deep passes has been notable and noticeable this year, and actually dating back to his March 2017 surgery to repair a partially torn rotator cuff.
It’s worth keeping an eye on the transaction wire to see how confident they are. They only have one other quarterback on the roster (Taylor Heinicke), and don’t even have one on the practice squad.