Cam Newton and the Panthers struggled down the stretch in 2018, and so the front office finally found the motivation to invest in a backup quarterback. Now, for the first time in Newton’s NFL career, Carolina will have a true competition for the spot directly below him on the depth chart.
This year there are three relatively strong candidates for the role and any one of them could win it.
The favorite: Kyle Allen
After spending most of 2018 on the practice squad, Allen was called up to start Week 17 after injuries to Newton and Taylor Heinicke.
Allen took full advantage of his opportunity and put on a strong showing against the Saints’ backups. His 228-yard, two-touchdown performance gave the team a badly-needed spark and helped end the seven-game losing streak that ruined it. Allen looked poised and capable of working with the Panthers’ young weapons at wide receiver. His 53-yard connection with Curtis Samuel for a touchdown was proof of real promise.
The margins are close and things can change quickly, but Allen should be considered the favorite going into training camp.
The No. 2 contender: Will Grier
The Panthers’ interest in Grier was an open secret all along – it was rumored throughout the predraft process they were targeting him, possibly as early as the second round. They got their guy at No. 100 instead.
The biggest knock on Grier’s game coming into the NFL are his mechanics, which is apparent on tape. However, Grier’s anticipation is sharp and he shows a lot of patience in the pocket. His career 81:23 touchdown to interception ratio in college speaks volumes for his potential.
Even if he bombs during training camp and the preseason, the Panthers won’t cut Grier or stash him on their practice squad, so if he loses the primary backup competition he could be an inactive No. 3 on game days.
Don’t sleep on: Taylor Heinicke
Few players had a rougher end to their 2018 season than Heinicke. After entering the season as the primary backup behind Newton, he occasionally came in to throw Hail Mary passes when Cam’s shoulder was bothering him.
Once Newton was finally shut down, Heinicke got to start Week 16 against the Falcons in a trial-by-fire scenario. The sample size was small, but Allen looked much more crisp in his start the next week by comparison. Heinicke threw 53 passes against Atlanta, completing 33 of them for 274 yards and one score. While he showed a lot of heart returning to the game after suffering an arm injury, he also turned the ball over four times (three picks, one fumble).
Nevertheless, the Panthers elected to bring Heinicke back for the backup competition again in 2019.
While he has the most pro experience of the three candidates, Heinicke faces a tough battle ahead. With Newton and Grier’s spots on the roster assured regardless of how the summer unfolds, Heinicke has to win this battle convincingly or he may be the odd man out.
