According to a report by Joe Person at the Athletic, Panthers quarterback Cam Newton underwent surgery to repair his Lisfranc injury on Monday. The same doctor that did the Achilles procedure for Kevin Durant performed Newton’s operation.
The story of Newton’s foot injury is well-known by now. What this procedure means for Newton’s future is the real question.
Team owner David Tepper has said no decision will be made about the quarterback situation until Newton is 100%. The Panthers still have him under contract for one more year and if he is healthy then his cap hit for 2020 ($21.1 million) is relatively low for a franchise QB.
Of course, franchise quarterbacks very rarely actually get into the final year of their contracts. Newton may not want to play unless he gets an extension, which would make an already complicated situation even moreso.
The Panthers have a strong backup option in Kyle Allen, but Newton remains the best QB on the roster. As recently as one year ago, he was playing at a high level. Carolina’s best hope of contending in 2020 is likely with Newton pulling off an Andrew Luck in 2018 kind of comeback. An extra season off to recover from the punishment his body has taken these last eight years could be just the thing he needed.
