SPARTANBURG Last year, Cam Newton didn’t get under center in the first preseason game until the second quarter.

There’s no doubt who the starter will be Saturday night against the Houston Texans, but don’t expect to see him on the field past the first quarter.

Panthers coach Ron Rivera said after practice Friday that Newton will likely play only the first quarter before second-team quarterback Derek Anderson takes over.

“We’ll get that first group in and try to get somewhere before 12-15 plays and move on to the young guys,” Rivera said earlier in the week at training camp.

The coach said consistency will be the main objective against the Texans, but he did not overlook the importance of a win in the preseason contest.

“More than anything consistency, but we’re going to work to win this one because we want to win because winning is conducive and develops an attitude,” he said.

Beason, Davis out: As expected, linebackers Jon Beason and Thomas Davis will not play Saturday. Beason (hamstring) was not on the practice field Friday and Davis (strained calf) was in shoulder pads but did not participate in drills.

Fourth-year linebacker Jason Phillips will start at middle linebacker in place of Beason while rookie linebacker and first-round draft pick Luke Kuechly will get the start at weakside linebacker.

Rivera said he hopes to have Davis back by Monday but was less clear on Beason’s return, saying only next week.

“It’ll be tough without having John and Thomas out there, but the guys we do have out there we feel pretty strongly about what we can accomplish on the defensive side,” Rivera said.

Ziemba waived: Tackle Lee Ziemba has been waived and will reach an injury settlement with the Panthers.

Ziemba played in six games for the Panthers last year but hurt his right knee early in camp and will require surgery next week.

The Panthers signed guard Justin Wells on Wednesday in a preemptive move for Ziemba after waiving wide receiver Hubert Aryiam.

Along with waiving the injured Ziemba, the team also picked up Andre Ramsey. The Ball State product was in Panthers’ camp in May.

“We had him in the rookie camp and he did some nice things for us,” Rivera said. “He was the next guy in line. You go out and do things for us in camps and you have the opportunity to come back and that’s what he did.”

Security checkpoints: The NFL is implementing extra security at games this season in the form of hand-held, metal-detecting wands and/or pat-downs. The process could mean delays getting into Bank of America Stadium. Fans are encouraged to arrive early and allow for extra time. Gates open at 5 p.m. Saturday.

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Observations

•  The latest Panthers’ kicking competition doesn’t involve Olindo Mare or Justin Medlock. After practice, cornerback Captain Munnerlyn set up at the 2-yard-line as his teammates gathered around. He missed his first attempt from 12 yards wide left, but he made the second as it went just over the crossbar.

“You put a guy in a position like that that’s very foreign to him and his teammates are depending on him to make it and that’s what the idea was behind that,” Rivera said.

•  Cornerback Josh Norman was back in pads Friday after a hamstring injury relegated him to the exercise bike for most of the week. Rivera said he will likely see the field against the Texans.

•  Fans outside Gibbs Stadium set up cornhole in the grass and were joined by Panthers’ running backs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. The two tossed bean bags onto boards with characters from “The Simpsons” on them.

•  Rookie wide receiver and Charlotte native Brenton Bersin had some cleaning to do before he left Wofford to go back home. An unnamed Panther(s) took his keys and filled his car with popcorn before wrapping the car several times over in plastic wrap.

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Three questions with …

Fullback Richie Brockel

Q: With Houston in town, I had to ask you about the Fumblerooskie/Annexation of Puerto Rico play. Did you run into anyone in the offseason who asked you about it?

Not so much. I’m pretty low-key. So I don’t run into too much of that stuff. I try to keep a pretty low profile.

Q: As cool and unique as it was, I’m guessing that’s a nice moment for you but you don’t want it to be the signature play of your career. Is that accurate?

Absolutely. It was a big play and it was notable because it’s kind of different. But I’d like to have my career based off the things I do every snap everyday on the field, not one play.

Q: You got married in the offseason, right?

Yeah. The wedding went great. It was up in Idaho. It was a perfect day. We went on a little honeymoon down in San Francisco right afterwards, so everything worked out well. It’s going good so far.

Staff writer Joseph Person contributed