The Carolina Panthers lost their fourth game in a row on Sunday to fall to 6-6 on the season, and they have to be at least somewhat concerned about the status of Cam Newton’s throwing shoulder.
Newton did not throw on Wednesday at the portion of practice that was open to the media, and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports that the quarterback is dealing with arm soreness. While he does not appear to be in danger of missing any games, the shoulder injury is something that could nag Newton for the remainder of the year.
From Up to the Minute Live: #Panthers QB Cam Newton is limited during today's practice, and this shoulder issue may be a battle the rest of the season. pic.twitter.com/aZ1ysCYhOi
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 5, 2018
One troubling sign from Sunday’s loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers came when the Panthers benched Newton down 24-17 so backup quarterback Taylor Heinicke could come in to throw a Hail Mary. Newton was unable to reach the end zone on the first Hail Mary attempt, but Carolina got another shot at it thanks to a Bucs penalty. That’s when Heinicke came in.
Newton had surgery on his shoulder in 2016, and the Panthers have basically managed his reps ever since. One star quarterback already proved this season that being subbed out on a Hail Mary attempt isn’t necessarily a big deal, but Carolina needs Newton to be fully healthy if they want to turn their season around.
