5 big observations from first Carolina Panthers scrimmage at Colts
By Dean Jones
Carolina Panthers backup QBs struggle
It was a rough day overall for both Will Grier and P.J. Walker. The duo is fighting it out to be Sam Darnold’s primary backup in 2021 and this was not the way they wanted to start things in Indianapolis ahead of seeing the field for the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.
Grier struggled early on. He was intercepted twice during one-on-one drills on throws that were underthrown, although there was a beautiful dime on a deep route to a wide-open Omar Bayless that caught the eye.
Things trended in a similar direction for Walker, who appears to be in pole position for the No. 2 role before the signal-callers ultimately determine their fate in warmup games.
This might sound like nothing.
But if Darnold was forced to miss time at any stage, it represents a serious problem for the Panthers.
General manager Scott Fitterer is always looking for ways to improve the roster. If neither stands out between now and when competitive action begins, it could see a veteran come into the fold in pursuit of strengthening depth at the most important position on the field.
We are fast approaching crunch time for Grier and Walker. What comes next is going to be critical.