The Facts: The Panthers' new receivers didn't get many opportunities this spring to develop chemistry with Newton, who was recovering from offseason ankle surgery. They'll try to make up for lost time next week, meeting in North Carolina for throwing sessions with Newton and the rest of Carolina's quarterbacks before training camp kicks off July 25. "I know we're all going to get together next week in Charlotte," WR Tiquan Underwood said Thursday. "We're just going to try to speed up the process. We're all going to throw -- Derek Anderson, Cam Newton, Joe Webb, Matt Blanchard and all the receivers -- just to work on timing and get that down pat before camp."
Diehards Line:
Newton, 25, had surgery on his left ankle in March and was expected to be sidelined four months. He was far enough ahead of schedule to do some throwing after practices and participate in seven-on-seven drills on the final day of last month's mini-camp. Still, as USA Today's Tom Pelissero notes, there were valuable reps lost for Newton, whose top four wide receivers on last season's NFC South title team -- Steve Smith, Brandon LaFell, Ted Ginn and Domenik Hixon — have been replaced by veterans Underwood, Jason Avant and Jerricho Cotchery and first-round draft pick Kelvin Benjamin. Underwood said it was encouraging to see Newton trusting the ankle and throwing the ball at the end of minicamp, if only in a limited setting. Can everyone get on the same page before the Panthers open the regular season Sept. 7 at Tampa Bay? "We have no choice," Underwood said. "This is what we get paid to do, so we've got to make it happen."