4 Panthers fighting for their futures in preseason Week 3 vs. Bills
By Dean Jones
P.J. Walker – Carolina Panthers QB
With Matt Corral’s season now over thanks to a serious foot injury that requires surgery, the Carolina Panthers have a big decision to make. Do they continue with their plan to bring three quarterbacks onto their roster or stand pat with Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold in 2022?
One of the primary factors in this decision is how they perceive P.J. Walker‘s performances in the preseason and during the team’s recent training camp.
The Temple product has a close bond with head coach Matt Rhule, but his consistency is erratic at best. Simply put, anything less than perfection in preseason Week 3 would make it hard to justify keeping Walker around.
Perhaps the Panthers could examine stashing Walker on the practice squad in case injury strikes. But there’s also a good chance another team will pick him up given the distinct lack of quality around the league.
Mayfield is expected to play at least a quarter against the Buffalo Bills. One would expect Darnold to get similar involvement, so it could be a smaller sample size for Walker in his final audition for a roster position next season.
Considering the need for bodies elsewhere, it might be worth the Panthers altering their plans and keeping two quarterbacks. But nobody knows for sure right now.