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PHOENIX -- Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera isn't worried about going into the 2015 season without quarterback Cam Newton signed to a long-term deal. "I don't," Rivera said Wednesday during the NFC coaches breakfast at the NFL owners meeting. "Our quarterback is a smart, savvy, young man. He understands the dynamics of the game. He's the kind of guy who is able to focus on certain aspects of the game and put things aside."  Rivera described negotiations between Newton and the Panthers as a "work in progress." He's also confident that general manager Dave Gettleman and Newton's representatives will get "something positive done."
A deal likely won't happen until after Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson signs to set the new market for franchise quarterbacks. Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said those negotiations are progressing, but there's no timetable for finalizing a deal. It's hard to imagine Newton's deal getting done before the summer. Rivera said personally he'd like to see Newton's deal done before the season. "Personally, yeah, I would," Rivera said. "But they have a time table, both sides do I imagine. Both sides have a plan. Hopefully, we get everything worked out together." Meanwhile, Rivera is excited to see Newton in upcoming offseason workouts after the first pick of the 2011 draft missed organized team activities last year after undergoing ankle surgery. While Newton and middle linebacker Luke Kuechly are expected to complete their credits for graduation -- Newton from Auburn and Kuechly from Boston College -- this semester, Rivera expects both to participate in OTAs.
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