With so many questions and so few answers for the Carolina Panthers, anything could be on the table to close out the 2021 campaign. That, apparently, could very well include yet another change under center.
Head coach Matt Rhule spoke with reporters on Monday following his team’s 29-21 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, where he played both Cam Newton and P.J. Walker at quarterback. And while he did commit to continuing that approach moving forward, he also didn’t completely rule out a return for Sam Darnold.
“We planned on playing P.J. in the game,” Rhule said. “We had a package for him and also planned on him playing in the two-minute.”
Walker was shoehorned in at the end of the first half, where he promptly threw an ill-advised pick to Falcons cornerback AJ Terrell, and then again in the fourth quarter for the contest’s final six minutes.
“Obviously, at the end of the half, he threw the interception, which was unacceptable,” Rhule added of Walker, who passed for 75 yards and a score to go along with the turnover. “At the end of the game, he threw us down there. We weren’t able to get in. Came back and obviously made some nice plays to score the touchdown. We’ll continue to play both guys. I think Sam’s a couple weeks away, a week to two weeks away, from being ready to play.”
Speaking of shoehorning, that Sam bit was quite intriguing for Rhule to just casually squeeze in there. But, when asked to expand on Darnold’s status, he dismissed the fourth-year quarterback as an immediate option.
“It’s obviously a possibility,” Rhule said. “We just have to wait and see. But all I’m saying now is just that he’s out right now. He’s not a factor.”
Darnold has been inactive the past five weeks due to a fracture in his throwing shoulder. Carolina will fold up the remaining four games on the slate against the Buffalo Bills in Week 15, the New Orleans Saints in Week 17 and two tilts with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Weeks 16 and 18.
