Could another starting quarterback be missing this week?
According to the Carolina Panthers' team website, Cam Newton was not at practice Tuesday when the session opened.
NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport and NFL Network's Tom Pelissero report that Newton's status is up in the air for Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals after he aggravated his foot injury, per sources informed of the situation.
Panthers GM Marty Hurney confirmed Newton aggravated the left foot injury and added the QB told the team after the game. While Hurney said Newton is day-to-day, he also intimited there's no firm timline currently for Cam, per Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic.
Ron Rivera told reporters after Tuesday's practice that he found out Newton's foot was "sore" following the Week 2 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Rivera added that Newton received treatment over the weekend, but would not elaborate on Cam's status beyond what Hurney had previously told reporters except to confirm that Kyle Allen would get the start if Newton is unable to play.
Allen has one career start -- Week 17 last year.
Coming off offseason shoulder surgery and a preseason foot issue, Newton has looked uneasy through two weeks. Aggravating the foot injury could explain the QB's poor play as the Panthers started the season 0-2.
In Thursday night's loss Bucs, Newton went 25-of-51 passing for 333 passing yards. He was sacked three times and rushed twice for zero yards and lost a fumble.
Newton's passing as he returns from offseason shoulder surgery has been wayward through two games, airmailing far too many passes and missing easy throws by a mile.
The Panthers have notably not asked Newton to run the ball this season, a major part of his game. Through two weeks, the 6-foot-5, 245-pound QB has rushed for negative-two yards on five attempts with two credited fumbles. Notably Thursday night, needing a half-yard for a first down at the goal line with the game on the line, the Panthers didn't call for Newton to sneak, instead calling a trick play for Christian McCaffrey that was stuffed. The foot injury might explain Newton's usage.
