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It’s just one of several recent posts by Newton Joseph Noteboom Color Rush Jersey , most of which include him working out or showing off his chiseled six-pack abs.

The league’s 2015 MVP enters his eighth NFL season anxious to push the Panthers deeper into the playoffs after an 11-5 regular season ended with a first-round playoff loss to New Orleans last season.

Newton was in a jovial mood Thursday night as the team held its first training camp practice at Wofford College as new owner David Tepper looked on from the sideline. The quarterback led ”the wave” with the crowd and laughed it up with teammates during breaks in practice.

”It’s just nice to see him be Cam and have a lot of life and have a lot of energy and enthusiasm,” Panthers tight end Greg Olsen said on check-in day on Wednesday. ”When he’s like that, he’s at his best.”

It helps that Newton doesn’t have to worry about rehabbing an injured shoulder as he did last summer.

Newton missed all of minicamp and OTAs in 2017 after rotator cuff surgery on his throwing shoulder following the 2016 season. He was back to throwing at training camp last year, but developed soreness after five practices.

Not wanting to chance any setbacks, the Panthers only allowed Newton to throw two passes in the preseason games.

Newton made it back for the start of the regular season and played in all 16 games. He struggled statistically, completing just 59.1 percent of his passes with 22 touchdowns and 16 interceptions, but it’s difficult to pin that on Newton or his shoulder.

Injuries to the offensive line and wide receiver position often left the former Heisman Trophy winner running from defenders after being flushed out of the pocket, desperately trying to find an open option.

Panthers general manager Marty Hurney addressed the need for playmakers at the wide receiver position this offseason by trading for Torrey Smith, signing free agent Jarius Wright and drafting rookie D.J. Moore in the first round.

”I thought you saw a lot of energy out of our offense in minicamp,” Hurney said. ”You just don’t know, but you want to see it come together.”

Newton is also adapting to a new offensive scheme after the Panthers fired Mike Shula and replaced him with Norv Turner. Running back Christian McCaffrey said Turner and Newton ”have really bonded” so far this offseason.

”Cam’s been throwing it really well. He has been making great reads and I think he’s just as excited as anybody for the season,” McCaffrey said.

Coach Ron Rivera said what excites him the most about Newton is the simple fact that he’s healthy and Authentic Justus Annunen Jersey , as Panthers wide receiver Devin Funchess said, ”is ready to rock.”

That has allowed him to work through some of the intricacies of Turner’s offense during OTAs and minicamp.

”Going into this camp, I think we’re already ahead with him,” Rivera said.

Newton didn’t talk to reporters following the completion of the team’s first practice at Gibbs Stadium, instead spending time signing autographs before heading in for team meetings. But he did post ”you know I’m ready” in a recent Instagram video.

”I think that’s the understatement of the year to say that him being out there makes a big difference, right?” said Olsen, who missed more than half of the 2017 season with a foot injury.

”Just his presence on the field. Having a full OTAs and minicamp with him and then getting some work done with him this summer and just seeing how good he’s feeling and moving around and training and throwing a lot, and now being able to do a full training camp – those are all stark contrasts with where we were at this point last year. One would hope that that’s a good sign for us.”

Newton is betting on it.

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The Marlins overtook the Mets on the scoreboard and in the standings Saturday.

And for the second game in a row, Miami beat New York with a rookie pitcher making his first major league start.

Brian Anderson hit a two-run homer off Jacob deGrom and the Marlins climbed out of last place in the NL East by rallying past the reeling Mets, 5-2.

”We’re not in last place? Awesome,” said J.T. Riddle, whose scratch RBI single put Miami ahead to stay.

The Mets (32-48) lost for the 10th time in 11 games and fell into last place for the first time this year. They finished 5-21 this month for the worst June in franchise history Leighton Vander Cowboys Esch Jersey , and they’ve plummeted from 10 games over .500 to 15 under at an earlier date than any team in major league history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

”It was not the goal when we came in,” deGrom said. ”This is the complete opposite. Nobody’s happy with that.”

Meanwhile, the rebuilding Marlins (34-50) went 14-14 in June, their best month this season.

They seem to get better as they get younger. Pablo Lopez (1-0) allowed two runs in six innings in his major league debut less than 24 hours after Sandy Alcantara won his first big league start Friday. Both are 22.

The last time two pitchers on the same National League team earned wins in their first career starts in consecutive days was in 1967 when Gary Nolan and Mel Queen did so for the Reds, according to Stats LLC.

DeGrom took a 2-0 lead into the sixth, but Anderson’s fifth homer tied it. Riddle beat out a dribbler to the first baseman for a two-out RBI hit that put Miami ahead.

”I thought that swinging bunt was foul,” deGrom said. ”I should have gone over there and got it.”

Another fielding lapse cost the Mets in the seventh. J.T. Realmuto hit a two-run double after an error by shortstop Amed Rosario prolonged the inning.

Drew Steckenrider pitched a perfect eighth, and Kyle Barraclough earned his eighth save with a 1-2-3 ninth. Steckenrider has thrown 15 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings, and Barraclough has thrown 20 2/3 – two more reasons the Marlins are on the rise.

”We’re gaining some type of identity as to what kind of games we need to play to win,” manager Don Mattingly said. ”We’re not going to outslug anybody. We’re going to have to pitch and play defense and scratch for runs.”

The Mets’ runs came on solo homers against Lopez. Jose Bautista hit his fifth of the year, his third with the Mets. Todd Frazier added his ninth.

DeGrom (5-4) Christian Kirk Jersey Cardinals , who departed after six innings trailing 3-2, fell to 1-4 in his past five starts despite allowing only 15 runs. His ERA, lowest in the majors coming into the game, rose to 1.84.

”I am definitely frustrated,” he said. ”I’m tired of losing.”

ROOKIE PITCHERS

Lopez was the 17th rookie and 12th rookie pitcher used by Marlins, both most in the majors.

”As soon as I stepped out of the dugout, I just kept looking up in the stands, and they were so big, all the way up to the sky,” the Venezuelan right-hander said. ”This is where I wanted to be. I just needed to calm myself down.”

Four pitchers have made their first major league start against New York this year, and they’ve combined to go 3-0 with an ERA of 1.57. But at the moment, the Mets are having trouble beating anybody.

”It’s difficult right now Jeremiah Attaochu Color Rush Jersey ,” first-year manager Mickey Callaway said. ”I know the players are feeling it. I know the fans are feeling.”

EFFORT ISSUE?

Mets pinch-hitter Jose Reyes appeared not to run out a grounder to short in the seventh.

”It looked like that to us, too,” Callaway said. ”I went to talk to Rey-Rey, and he said he felt something out of the box and he was scared he was going to pull something. He kind of pulled up halfway. I thought that maybe he was frustrated, but he felt something coming out of the box.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mets: RHP Noah Syndergaard (finger) and LHP Jason Vargas (calf) are expected to start against each other in a simulated game next week at Single-A Port St. Lucie.

UP NEXT

Mets LHP Steven Matz (3-5, 3.69), who has thrown 13 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings at Marlins Park, is scheduled to start the series finale Sunday against RHP Dan Straily (3-3, 4.82).

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