Three Panthers Players Set to Have Surgery
Quarterback Cam Newton (shoulder), DE Charles Johnson (back) and rookie WR Damiere Byrd (knee) will all be missing offeseason practice time to undergo surgery. Without any complications all three players should be back in time to participate in training camp.
Some of you may have noticed that Cam's throwing accuracy was off late last season. That would be a result of a hit to shoulder in Week 14 against the Chargers. An MRI proved he had a partially torn rotator-cuff. We was fairly limited for the rest of the 2016 season.
Newton was not sidelined after his injury. He played every snap the last few games of 2016 while being closely monitored by some of the best athletic trainers in Charlotte.
“We developed a plan for Cam to take a period of rest, a period of rehabilitation and treatment, and then start a gradual throwing program the first part of March,” said head athletic trainer Ryan Vermillion. “Cam started his program, and the early parts of his rehab had been going well. However, as we worked to advance him into the next stage – the strengthening stage, the throwing stage – he started to have an increase in his pain level and started having pain while throwing."
Cam Newton is a tough guy. He gets hit hard and often mostly because of his size and tendency to run with the ball, but always manages to come back into the game and smile through the pain. Newton has only been sidelined for three games in his six-year NFL career.
Newton has been working out a lot with general manager Dave Gettleman and coach Ron Rivera throughout the offseason. They both have commented on how great of shape he is in. Gettleman has talked briefly in press conferences about how he plans to run a more "evolved" offense around Newton to better protect him.
“The thing we need to stay away from the most is throwing, but he will start immediately with range of motion and rotator cuff exercises,” Vermillion said. “The positive thing, unlike when he had ankle surgery, is that he will still be able to work on his conditioning, work on his core, work on the rest of his body."
