5 Carolina Panthers who’ll be glad to see the back of 2022 season

P.J. Walker – Carolina Panthers QB

Things looked incredibly bleak for P.J. Walker this summer. Sam Darnold’s contract meant the Carolina Panthers had to keep him around, but this did not prevent two eye-catching moves that were made to hopefully solve their complex riddle at the quarterback position.

The Panthers moved up to No. 94 overall for Matt Corral and bolstered their options further with the high-profile trade acquisition of Baker Mayfield from the Cleveland Browns. This left Walker on the outside looking in with little chance of making the roster.

However, a serious foot injury to Corral and Darnold spending the first half of 2022 on injured/reserve ensured Walker got a reprieve. Mayfield struggled to make the necessary impact before hitting the shelf himself, so the former Temple star went from afterthought to Carolina’s starting option in Week 6 at the Los Angeles Rams.

Walker’s time under center lasted until Week 10 and also came with a phenomenal performance at the Atlanta Falcons in Week 8. But an injury at just the wrong time provided Darnold a window of opportunity to make a better go of things and the rest is history.

With a new regime coming into the fold and the possibility of drafting a franchise quarterback also factoring into the equation, the one-time XFL MVP candidate’s time in Carolina might be at an end. Walker can be a decent backup in the right fit, but the Panthers need to change their direction in the worst possible way.