The Carolina Panthers are all about raising the level of competition whenever they can. This is no more evident than with the team's overhaul in the quarterback room behind undisputed starter Bryce Young this offseason. Â
And one NFL analyst believes undrafted free agent Haynes King could shake things up even further with a smooth transition over the summer.
The Panthers wanted to get younger, as evidenced by trading veteran Andy Dalton to the Philadelphia Eagles. Kenny Pickett will back up Young, and Will Grier also returned to the franchise that drafted him to see if any untapped potential remains.
NFL analyst tips Haynes King to shake things up in Carolina Panthers' QB room
There is also King, who received a $250,000 guarantee on his undrafted contract to ensure Carolina secured his services. Kristopher Knox of The Bleacher Report believes he can push his way onto the 53-man roster as a development project who could become a decent gadget option.
"Neither [Kenny] Pickett nor [Will] Grier, though, has the dual-threat upside of Georgia Tech's Haynes King. The 6'2⅜", 212-pound King delivered a 4.46-second 40-yard dash at the scouting combine after a six-year college career that included 7,907 passing yards and 2,277 rushing yards over the last three.
"King should have a good shot to push Pickett or Grier off the roster as a developmental QB3 who occasionally provides value as a gadget quarterback."
King has the size, athleticism, and rushing capabilities to be a useful addition. He could run the quarterback sneaks in short-yardage situations. The Panthers have been reluctant to do so with Young, due to his lack of prototypical size.
Perhaps even using him in a Taysom Hill-type role could add another wrinkle to the offense as Brad Idzik takes over play-calling responsibilities. The possibilities are there, but impressing throughout Carolina's offseason program is crucial.
The Panthers obviously saw something in King. They brought him in for a pre-draft visit, which obviously went well. They got a little bit of luck when the signal-caller went undrafted, and general manager Dan Morgan was quick to pounce. More importantly, he offers the mobility that Pickett and Grier do not, and he is a more physically imposing running force than Young for good measure.
King is getting a shot, but there are no guarantees whatsoever. He's got to earn his place. Pickett and Grier won't be giving up their spots without a fight, so it'll be an intriguing dynamic to watch during OTAs and as things heat up in training camp.
The Georgia Tech product is starting from the bottom, but he might not be there for long.
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