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Report: Cam Newton out several more weeks, could be placed on IR

Quarterback Cam Newton’s foot injury has kept him off the field for the Carolina Panthers since Week 3, and it looks like there’s no end in sight. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Newton’s Lisfranc injury has not fully healed, and he’ll be out at least another few weeks — if not more.

The Panthers released an update about Newton on Friday, revealing that he would be traveling to Wisconsin to see Dr. Robert Anderson, a foot specialist and former team physician, about his foot. Rapoport reported that Newton has to decide how to proceed with his recovery.

There seems to be no end in sight for Cam Newton's frustrating season for the Panthers. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
There seems to be no end in sight for Cam Newton's frustrating season for the Panthers. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

One piece of good news is that surgery isn’t on the table, for now at least. That leaves Newton with difficult choices about the rest of the season, especially since he still wants the chance to play. Going on injured reserve, which is reportedly a possibility, would make that impossible. If he somehow heals up in the next month, there would still be a chance that he could practice and make a few starts before the end of the season, but only if he stays away from IR.

With every passing day, that possibility seems less realistic. Week 9 marks the seventh straight week that Newton is not able to play or practice with the team. When you factor in the ramp-up needed for an NFL quarterback to go from standing on the sideline to actively leading a team on the field, it seems more likely that Newton is looking at a lost season.

Rapoport reported that Newton and the team will decide Monday what’s next for his recovery. That decision could mean the end of his season, or the continuation of the wait-and-see attitude we’ve seen thus far. Either way, it’ll be awhile before we see Newton back on the field again.

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