Will Cam Newton play on Sunday vs. Cardinals? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Cam Newton is back where it all began.
The former No. 1 overall pick signed a one-year deal reportedly worth up to $10 million to return to the Carolina Panthers on Thursday.
Newton made his Panthers (and NFL) debut on Sept. 11, 2011, against the Cardinals in Arizona. Could his second Panthers debut come in the same building against the same team 10 years later?
Carolina offensive coordinator Joe Brady met with the media on Friday and didn't rule out the possibility of Newton seeing the field versus the 8-1 Cardinals on Sunday.
“Everything’s on the table right now,” Brady said, via Anthony Rizzuti of Panthers Wire. “We’ll kinda evaluate from a day-to-day standpoint, without getting into specifics. And we’ll see what today brings, kinda how things progress. Just be ready to rock on Sunday and see how things go.”
Meanwhile, head coach Matt Rhule said it's "probably not very likely" Newton even suits up in Week 10 and that it's "more realistic to shoot for next week."
With Sam Darnold sidelined for at least four weeks due to a right shoulder fracture, P.J. Walker is expected to get the start for the 4-5 Panthers in Arizona. Walker, 26, has one NFL start under his belt, leading Carolina past the Detroit Lions in November 2020. The Panthers also signed veteran signal caller Matt Barkley earlier this week prior to bringing back Newton.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported on Sunday morning that Newton is expected to be active, but that doesn't necessarily mean he will play.
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It's a quick turnaround, but perhaps we could see Newton incorporated with a small package of plays on Sunday. If not, the next opponent on Carolina's schedule is Newton's ex-head coach, Ron Rivera, and the Washington Football Team in Week 11.
