CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton rarely talks to reporters when players clean out their lockers the day after the final game.
On Monday, as the organization prepared for its most uncertain offseason in at least nine years, Newton wasn't around.
With a coaching search heating up -- Carolina formally requested to interview several of the league's top offensive coordinators -- the elephant in the locker room wasn't even in the room.
Whomever Carolina hires to replace coach Ron Rivera will need to pick a quarterback. Newton had surgery to repair a Lisfranc injury in his foot that ended his season in Week 2 and there are no guarantees the first pick of the 2011 draft will be back for the final year of his contract.
"Listen, I don't know if I'm going to be here or not," said veteran defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, set to become a free agent. "But that would be the dumbest thing they ever did, just to let Cam walk. There's no Cam Newtons walking around. So any organization that don't want Cam Newton, that's just dumb to me."
McCoy said Newton's status would figure into his decision to return, as it would for tight end Greg Olsen, who at 34 doesn't sound interested in a rebuild with a young quarterback.
"If [No.] 1 is healthy, you've got a great core," McCoy said. "Just build around that, this team will be just fine."
Projecting a recovery timetable for Newton is difficult considering it's not clear exactly what procedure Newton had, as there are many variants when it comes to Lisfranc injuries.
According to a 2015 study from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia, almost all NFL players who sustain Lisfranc joint injuries return to competition. Of 28 players (11 offensive, 17 defensive) who suffered Lisfranc injuries between 2000 and 2010, two never returned. The median time to return was 11.1 months from the time of injury; three players returned in less than three months.
Newton is under contract in 2020, so he’s under the supervision of the Carolina training staff for his rehab. He should be required to check in either on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. But the tricky part is that Newton didn’t use the team surgeon, so he’s also using his own medical staff in this evaluation.
However the recovery goes, it’s unlikely that the Panthers will have any certainty on his status before free agency and the draft. So projecting Newton’s role in 2020 could be complicated.
Carolina players made it clear that Newton is key to quick turnaround for a 5-11 team that lost its final eight games after a 5-3 start, including consecutive 32-point losses to Indianapolis and New Orleans to end the season.
To a man, players argued the core of the team -- which includes running back Christian McCaffrey, linebackers Luke Kuechly and Shaq Thompson and offensive guard Trai Turner -- gives the next coach a chance for a quick turnaround if Newton is healthy and a part of it.
"Cam Newton is an MVP," McCoy said of the award Newton earned in 2015 when he led Carolina to a 15-1 regular-season record and trip to Super Bowl 50. "When Cam was healthy last year, this team was 6-2. Injuries happen. If Cam gets healthy, bring the great core this team has back ... this team will be back to the top next year."
Safety Tre Boston agreed: "It's no secret. If we keep that man healthy, this man is one of the best in the league. It's all about health. We've got to get him healthy and keep him healthy. It starts with the front seven."
The Panthers in 2019 gave up 58 sacks, tied with Miami for the most in the league.
It’ll be up to the next coach to fix the offensive line and decide whether the 30-year-old Newton is worth a long-term investment after next season.
Everything points to that next coach being offense-minded, which is what owner David Tepper said he sought after firing Rivera. The Panthers already have interviewed former Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy.
On Monday, they requested permission to interview New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman also could be in the mix but hasn't been contacted yet.
The only defense-minded coach currently expected to get an interview is interim coach Perry Fewell, who went 0-4 after Rivera was fired. Fewell made it clear he'd love to have Newton back.
"I don't know why he'd be leaving," he said.
Newton has made it clear he wants to be back to at least play out the final year of his deal, which carries a $21.1 million salary-cap hit in 2020.
Two fan-generated billboards recently went up in Charlotte that read, "Keep Cam 1n Carolina."
Tepper has said Newton can remain an "elite" player if healthy. That's the big "if" for the Panthers this offseason. They rolled the dice Newton would be healthy this season and didn't sign a veteran backup in case an injury occurred, leaving that job to undrafted Kyle Allen and third-round rookie Will Grier.
Allen won his first four starts and five of his first six, but then lost six straight before Grier was given a shot. Grier couldn't stop the bleeding in the final two games, leaving the finale because of a foot injury that left him wearing a walking boot Monday.
Solidifying the quarterback position will be the top priority of the next coach, whether he goes with Newton, a veteran from another team or uses the seventh pick of the draft on a quarterback.
The Panthers would gain $19.1 million in cap space if the Panthers traded or cut Newton.
"Cam has been nothing but awesome," Allen said. "He's an incredible leader. If they decide to bring him back, he'll be a fantastic player; he'll be a fantastic quarterback for this team.
"When Cam's healthy, he's one of the best players in this league."