Panthers' Cam Newton: Shoulder surgery on tap

Newton is slated to undergo arthroscopic surgery on his throwing shoulder on March 30, Max Hanson of the Panthers' official site reports.

Analysis:

Newton suffered a partial tear of his right rotator cuff in Week 14 of last season, after which his practice participation alternated between limited and full in preparation for the final three games. While he didn't miss an offensive snap down the stretch, he statistically posted the worst campaign of his six-year career, completing a miserable 53 percent of his throws for 3,509 yards with a 19:14 TD:INT ratio, while failing to reach 500 yards on the ground (359 yards, to be exact) for the first time. After the season, the Panthers placed a specific rehab schedule upon him. "We developed a plan for Cam to take a period of rest, a period of rehabilitation and treatment, and then start a gradual throwing program the first part of March," head athletic trainer Ryan Vermillion said. "Cam started his program, and the early parts of his rehab had been going well. However, as we worked to advance him into the next stage -- the strengthening stage, the throwing stage -- he started to have an increase in his pain level and started having pain while throwing. As a result, Dr. Pat Connor [head team physician] felt the most prudent procedure would be to arthroscopically repair the shoulder." Newton is expected to require 12 weeks before commencing "an early throwing program" and 16 weeks before throwing in a team setting. With attendance during the offseason program ruled out, he'll aim to be ready by the start of training camp in late July.