Cam Newton is ready for training camp following offseason surgery on his throwing shoulder, but as a precautionary measure he’ll be on a pitch count in camp.
Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera made that clear Wednesday, per David Newton of ESPN, noting the staff doesn’t want to make the same mistake it did three years ago when Newton dealt with shoulder soreness.
Whether Newton can stay healthy or not is one of the biggest storylines in the entire NFL this summer. If he does manage to play all 16 games and isn’t dealing with nagging injuries, then Carolina has as good a chance as any NFC team to make it to Super Bowl LIV. If he ends up having another frustrating, injury-filled campaign, then all bets are off.
With that in mind, the Panthers are clearly taking a smart approach to Newton’s workload this summer.