The offseason was filled with talk about Panthers quarterback Cam Newton changing his throwing motion and making other tweaks to his game in order to improve his chances of staying healthy and productive after last year’s right shoulder woes.
Newton told Peter King in an interview for this week’s Football Morning in America that he’s embraced that process. Rome wasn’t built in a day, however, and Newton told reporters on Thursday that the effort isn’t over just because he’s back on the field at training camp.
“It’s still a work in progress,” Newton said, via WFNZ. “One thing I wanted to work on was just being honest with myself. Knowing when to sit out of practice and working on my body. I’m as hungry as ever. But guys that are on board on offense need me to be my best self.”
The Panthers in general need Newton to be his best self if they are going to bounce back from the ugly end to last season and return to the playoffs. Making sure that the shoulder remains sound all year is going to be crucial to making that happen and it’s likely that the maintenance efforts put in place this year will be part of the picture for the rest of Newton’s career.