Panthers quarterback Cam Newton appears to be a long way from returning.

Newton’s latest evaluation with a foot specialist revealed that he needs rest, not surgery, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. That sounds like good news, but the rest will take several weeks, and Newton may go on injured reserve.

Realistically, even if the rest only takes a month, Newton and the Panthers may decide it doesn’t make sense to bring him back in December just to play a few games.

For the Panthers, there’s also the consideration that backup Kyle Allen has played well enough that they might not be a better team with Newton back on the field late in the season.

Newton could be done for 2019, and then the Panthers would head into an offseason with some difficult decisions to make. In 2020 Newton is in the final year of his contract and has a salary cap hit of $21.1 million.