Off-Topic » Panthers quarterback Cam Newton is ecstatic to have Greg

Olsen back on the football field.And he wants Olsen to remain on the field Womens Torrey Smith Jersey , so much that Newton said he asked his spiritual grandmother Hattie-Lou Newton to pray for the tight end's continued health."That would be great," Olsen said with a laugh, "I can use all of the help I can get."The 33-year-old Olsen practiced Thursday and is expected to return to action Sunday against the Redskins after missing three games with a broken foot.Olsen was one of the most durable players in the NFL during his first 10 seasons, never missing a game due to injury while playing in 158 consecutive games. But he's missed 12 of the last 18 games since first fracturing his right foot in Week 2 of last season. He re-broke the same bone in Carolina's season opener against the Cowboys and hasn't played since.That has left the three-time Pro Bowl selection frustrated and eager to get back on the field — although not enough to rush back from the injury."I wouldn't be out there if I didn't think I could help the team," Olsen said. "Me being out there and not being able to move, that doesn't do us any good. This isn't about me just desperately wanting to play. I want to play and I expect to play like I am accustomed to."Coach Ron Rivera said barring any setbacks before Sunday there won't be any restrictions on Olsen's playing time.Rivera said Olsen moved around well Thursday, and participated fully in practice. Like his teammates, Olsen hasn't been able to go full speed yet this week because heavy rains the past two days in the Charlotte area have caused the fields to be wet and soggy.Olsen brings yet another option in the passing game for Newton, who just got second-year wide receiver Curtis Samuel back from a minor heart procedure last week."The band is back," Newton said with a wide smile.Nobody knows what Olsen means to the Panthers more than Newton.Olsen has always been his favorite target. He became the first tight end in NFL history to record three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons from 2014-16."He can't (get injured) no more," Newton said. "... His play-making ability on the field is just second to none. Having Greg back Authentic Cam Newton Jersey , keeping him healthy along with the talent that we already have, it presents a lot of problems for the opposing team."Newton said Olsen also helps him call out plays in the huddle, something that fans don't always see.The eighth-year quarterback said many calls in the NFL these days are simply too long and contain too much verbiage, and suggested some need to be simplified one-word phrases like "Panther," or even "Tepper" or "Rivera," referring to the surnames of the team's owner and head coach."Greg is a very intellectual person that helps me out with play-calling," Newton said. "I call him 'the dictator' in the huddle because I really have problems with calling plays — even in year eight. And he kind of helps me."Newton went on to say "calling a play shouldn't be a paragraph. ... I will be in the huddle and I'm already tired and I don't have time to be saying this, that and the third. (It should be) ready, ready break. You only get so much time."Olsen downplayed Newton's comments Thursday, saying the quarterback "exaggerated a little bit" in how much he helps him."Cam has it under control," Olsen said. "... Sometimes in the heat of the battle I will help piece some things together. But I think Cam was just being generous." Panthers coach Ron Rivera may have figured out the only way to avoid injuries to key players in training camp."Not practice," Rivera said after Wednesday's practice.The Panthers are less than a week into training camp but have already lost two key players to potential season-ending injuries.Right tackle Daryl Williams Authentic DJ Moore Jersey , a second-team All-Pro last season, dislocated his patella and tore his medial collateral ligament during blocking drills on Saturday. Two days later, cornerback Ross Cockrell broke two bones in his leg while trying to break up a pass in the end zone during 11-on-11 team drills.The Panthers aren't the only team hurting.The Green Bay Packers have lost inside linebacker Jake Ryan and safety Kentrell Brice to severe leg injuries, while Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Jason Verrett also went down. Other teams have lost important players to injuries, too.It's nothing new, of course.Injuries happen every year in training camp, a reminder of the fine line coaches must walk between preparing their team for the physicality of the regular season and avoiding injuries to key players that can derail a season."If you look at what happened (with our injuries) the truth of the matter is there is nothing you can do about it," Rivera said. "That was a freak injury for Ross where the receiver was falling to the ground and he happened to step into it and got rolled up. Daryl was kick-sliding and turned his ankle and came down on it."Rivera said injuries are the "unfortunate nature of this game."Still, as a coach he is always looking for ways to prevent them, constantly telling players to "be smart" on the field.He did that prior to Wednesday morning's practice on a slick field at Wofford College following overnight rain."I told the defensive backs and the linebackers, 'Hey, let's be smart about the receivers crossing because we don't want to catch anybody in a bad spot Authentic James Bradberry Jersey ," Rivera said.Some injuries can be prevented.That's why Rivera and his assistants were unhappy with rookie safety Rashaan Gaulden earlier this week he knocked wide receiver Jarius Wright to the ground in the back of the end zone with a vicious blow to the upper body — one that might have collected a fine from the league had it happened in a game situation. Wright remained on the ground for almost a minute before getting up.He returned to practice a short while later.Panthers wide receiver Devin Funchess immediately yelled at Gaulden after the play, saying "that's what we talked about — you have to know better."Coaches later called Gaulden aside to reprimand him."Hey, that's going to be very suspect because it falls right into the ram, butt and spear idea of using the helmet," Rivera said. "So we've got to make sure these young people understand it."Overall, Panthers left Matt Kalil said that "sometimes you just can't control" injuries."You want to play aggressive out here and you want to go full speed and get a game-time simulation," Kalil said. "We want to be smart. I think what we can do as veterans, and as players, is we have a guy who is about to fall we want to keep him up and keep him off the ground. But it's hard because there are a lot of guys flying around out here."Panthers cornerback James Bradberry said there is a contact on every play."It's very tough because one of the key components of making a Super Bowl run is having everybody healthy. And when you have prominent guys go down, it's tough," Bradberry said. "You've just got to have that next-man-up mentality. And that's what we have here."