P.J. Walker – Carolina Panthers QB
It’s been a relentless search for an upgrade at the quarterback position this offseason. The Carolina Panthers left no stone unturned after Sam Darnold failed miserably to convice people he’s a starting-caliber player at the position, but only Matt Corral has joined the team so far with just a few short weeks remaining until their Week 1 clash against the Cleveland Browns.
Things change quickly in the NFL. The Panthers also have enough salary-cap space to go after someone like Baker Mayfield again if they think it will provide the organization with a better chance of competing next season.
This leaves the aspirations of P.J. Walker under a cloud. Although the Temple product was brought back on a one-year deal, his status is hanging in the balance with Darnold and Corral already ahead of him on the depth chart.
Walker is a capable backup that seems suited to that role. It wasn’t easy for the signal-caller when he came under center at times in 2021 and the Panthers opted to reconcile with Cam Newton rather than give him a prolonged shot as a true No. 1 when Darnold went down through injury midway through the campaign.
If another quarterback is acquired before training camp, then it’s likely Walker will be leaving. But the player has done more than enough to warrant interest from elsewhere in a backup capacity.