The Carolina Panthers practiced again on Friday without quarterback Cam Newton, who remains in the NFL’s concussion protocol and appears unlikely to play in Monday night’s game.
Panthers coach Ron Rivera told reporters Friday that while Newton is unlikely to play in the home game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he has not yet ruled out the reigning NFL MVP.
Derek Anderson would start in Newton’s place with Joe Webb serving as the backup. Back in 2014, there were doubts about Newton’s health ahead of each matchup with the Buccaneers. Newton ended up sitting out both games while Anderson went 2-0.
The 27-year-old Newton sustained his first documented concussion last Sunday when he took a legal helmet-to-helmet hit from Atlanta Falcons rookie linebacker Deion Jones on a two-point conversion run.
In other injury news for the Panthers, linebacker Thomas Davis (hamstring), defensive end Charles Johnson (quad) and fullback Mike Tolbert (hamstring) were limited in Friday’s practice.
Left tackle Michael Oher, who is also recovering from a concussion, and running back Jonathan Stewart, who has missed the last two games with a hamstring injury, also have not practiced this week. In addition, cornerback James Bradberry (foot) and defensive tackle Vernon Butler (ankle) did not practice Friday.
Meanwhile, the Panthers shuffled the deck in their defensive backfield, waiving starting cornerback Bene Benwikere and signing rookie Zack Sanchez from the practice squad.
Benwikere, a fifth-round draft pick out of San Jose State in 2014, had started all four games at outside corner this season. He was slowed by an ankle injury in the preseason that cost him the final three games of 2015, and he missed six games as a rookie with an ankle injury.
Benwikere played in 27 games with 14 starts, recording two interceptions, 20 passes defensed, three recovered fumbles, two forced fumbles and 109 tackles.
Sanchez, the team’s fifth-round draft pick out of Oklahoma this year, was waived in the final roster cut-down and signed to the practice squad.