Panthers' Rivera: Newton on track to make preseason debut vs. Jags

After missing the Carolina Panthers' first two preseason games as he recovers from shoulder surgery, quarterback Cam Newton is on track to play in Thursday's contest against the Jacksonville Jaguars, head coach Ron Rivera announced Tuesday, according to Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer.

While Newton has been sidelined to date, he has been practicing and was reportedly expected to see exhibition time. There's been no indication the 2015 NFL MVP was in danger of missing the season opener on Sept. 10.

The Panthers' offense has been surprisingly effective without their star passer, scoring a combined 54 points over the first two preseason games, with one loss and one win.

Rookie running back Christian McCaffrey has been especially impressive, and on Thursday, Panthers fans should get their first look at Newton and McCaffrey together in the backfield.

Copyright (C) 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.