Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton will miss the Panthers final preseason game due to a hairline fracture in his ribs.
Newton suffered the injury during Friday’s game against the New England Patriots. Patriots linebacker Jamie Collins stepped on Newton’s back at the end of a seven-yard scramble play during Friday’s game, according to ESPN. Newton sat out one play after the injury and returned to the game. He arrived at practice on Sunday stiff and slightly haunched over and in pain. Panthers coach Ron Rivera expects that Newton will be ready for the season opener on September 7.
"I do [expect him to be ready], but a lot of it is he had to get past the soreness, which we expect, and we'll see how he starts to progress," Rivera said. "There is a lot of concern. We'll treat it day by day and evaluate it at the end of the week and see how he is. We expect him to get past the soreness in the next few days and do a lot more."
The Panthers have not allowed Newton to run for most of the preseason as he recovers from ankle surgery on his left ankle. Newton has been with the Panthers for three seasons. He hasn’t missed a regular season game in those three seasons. He has run for 2,032 yards and 28 touchdowns in his three seasons with the Panthers, according to the Associated Press. In Friday’s game against the Patriots he was eight for twelve passing for 88 yards and was sacked three times.
Newton’s injury will have the Panthers consider having three quarterbacks on the roster. The injury increases Joe Webb’s chances of making the team. Webb would be the Panthers number three quarterback behind Newton and backup Derek Anderson.