Panthers quarterback Cam Newton’s preseason work was probably over after the third preseason game under any circumstances, but a rib injury suffered against the Patriots last weekend made it a certainty.
An MRI found a hairline fracture that Newton said on Wednesday affects several ribs, leaving him with some healing up to do before the regular season. The quarterback is adamant that the injury won’t keep him from answering the bell against the Bucs on September 7.
“There’s no doubt in my mind,” Newton said, via Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. “I’m just going to worry about things that I can control. I’m going to continue to come in and get as much treatment as possible so my body will be 100 percent.”
Coach Ron Rivera delivered a similar message on Wednesday, adding that the team wouldn’t be taking zone read plays out of the playbook while Newton is dealing with the rib injury. That’s likely the best thing for the Panthers’s chances of winning, but those runs and the team’s shaky offensive line mean that Newton will be at some risk of further injury once he does return to the lineup.