Carolina Panthers: Cam Newton foot injury troublesome for franchise

The Carolina Panthers better have a backup plan at the ready.

It’s safe to say that something is not right with Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton. Tuesday, we were able to get a little bit more information about what exactly may be ailing him.

According to tweets from Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic, general manager Marty Hurney said that Newton reaggravated his left foot. This is the same foot in which a midfoot sprain occurred during the preseason. The team knew about it following the game. There is no timeline on when he will be back. Head coach Ron Rivera is set to speak to the media later Tuesday afternoon.

If Newton can’t go, the Carolina Panthers would have to turn to second-stringer Kyle Allen. Allen certainly has game experience, and he is more than capable of starting a game for Carolina. This is probably not the way he envisioned his season going, but so far it has been quite an unorthodox ride for the Carolina Panthers. They have to make the best out of what is a very difficult situation for all parties involved.

The fact that Newton was not at practice on Tuesday and that his foot is still bothering him is no surprise. I talked about it a little bit earlier Tuesday morning. If Newton was healthy, the Carolina Panthers probably would’ve given the ball to him to gain the yard they needed on Thursday. Aside from just that play, he was missing the mark on several throws and he just didn’t look comfortable in the pocket. The offensive line certainly didn’t help matters, but that’s a story for another day.

This news certainly could have larger implications to the franchise. What if Allen performs well and Newton is no longer the player he once was? Could there be a changing of the guard? A foot injury for a quarterback like Newton is certainly detrimental to the way he plays football. Part of what makes him so great is his ability to scramble out of the pocket and make throws. Admittedly, he has been a little bit more reserved in doing that under Norv Turner’s offense. For this particular argument, that is neither here nor there.

There is no denying that right now Newton is damaged goods. The Carolina Panthers better think of a backup plan, and quickly. Right now, the backup plan for Sunday is Allen. They need to think of a long-term backup plan in case this foot is something that hampers him throughout the rest of his career. I certainly wish him the best and want to see him back out on the field. Hopefully, he is healthy by the time he returns to action, whenever that may be.