The Facts: Newton's road back from shoulder surgery continued in the defense's portion of the Panthers' locker room. Multiple cameras milled about while Newton, with a long-sleeved shirt tucked into his shorts, readied to play a short, simple and scheduled game of catch with head athletic trainer Ryan Vermillion. But this is what happens when so much of a franchise's hopes rest on one player's shoulder. And that's why this seemingly little deal was bigger than a couple of guys playing catch. "Cool," Newton said when asked how it felt to throw for the first time in nearly six months, "a lot of anticipation. Obviously, it's still not 100 percent, but seeing the ball come out of my hand in a throwing motion was good."

Diehards Line: "When I say it's not 100 percent, I'm noting the range of motion part," Newton said. ... In all, Newton threw 45 passes to Vermillion in sets of 15 tosses from three different throwing positions. The farthest throw traveled about 10 lockers. But it's exactly where the Panthers hoped he'd be at this point in his recovery -- just like the original timeframe spelled out. Newton and Vermillion will continue their one-on-one sessions for four weeks, and if all goes well, Newton will be cleared to throw to teammates exactly one month from today during the Panthers' first practice in Spartanburg. "I want to be 100 percent come training camp. There's no doubt that I will be," Newton said. "Shoot, in two weeks, I'll be ready to rock and roll. ..." We'll be watching for more.