Cam Newton did more Tuesday on his surgically repaired ankle than Panthers coach Ron Rivera was expecting, but he won’t be on the practice field for team drills until training camp.
Newton tested his ankle on three- and five-step drops on passes to receivers Tuesday at Panthers mandatory minicamp. After stretching and the short throwing session, he did not participate in any other drills.
“There was an outside chance he’d be able to go full but he’s on track,” Rivera said. “We’re not going to force any issue with him so he was able to do what he was supposed to.”
Newton has finished in the top 4 in each of his three NFL seasons, but his PPG has dropped from 22.9 to 20.6 to 18.7 in that same span. He lost his entire receiving corps and is recovering from ankle surgery, so he hasn’t been able to practice with his new receivers. He should still be a solid RB1 given his ability to run the ball, but there are several red flags heading into the season.
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