Patriots QB Cam Newton not practicing after hand injury but is 'alright'

New England Patriots starting quarterback Cam Newton prematurely exited a practice session roughly one week ago with a right hand injury. It ultimately ended up being a slight bone bruise rather than a fracture, but the 32-year-old wasn't quite ready to get back to throwing passes during Thursday's workout. 

"He's doing alright," head coach Bill Belichick said of his current QB1 when speaking with reporters about practice, per Kevin Patra of the NFL's website. "He won't participate today, but he's getting better." 

Belichick added that the setback isn't anything serious.

"Well, he's not out there, so, but I think he'll be alright, yeah," he explained. 

Newton returned to the Patriots on a one-year contract in March, less than two full months before the club spent a first-round draft pick on Alabama Crimson Tide signal-caller Mac Jones. While Newton remains ahead of Jones on the depth chart going into next week's mandatory minicamp, every day the former NFL Most Valuable Player doesn't work provides Jones with additional opportunities to impress Belichick and perhaps prove that New England's future is indeed now.