The most notable move this offseason for the Panthers was the messy release of former MVP quarterback Cam Newton. The new era in Carolina under coach Matt Rhule features a new starting quarterback: Teddy Bridgewater.
Although Bridgewater is known as a game manager and Pro Football Focus recently ranked him among the fourth tier of QBs in the league, it’s clear he has the starting job locked down after spending the last two seasons as the backup for Drew Brees with the Saints.
Who will now back Bridgewater up is still an open queston, though. Let’s take a look at some of the options the Panthers have behind him.
Will Grier
Grier (6-foot-1, 220 pounds) has some experience as a starter, serving as QB1 in two games late last season. The 2019 third-round pick did not impress though, as Grier threw for 228 yards, four interceptions and no touchdowns. These atrocious performances resulted in a 33.2 passer rating, the lowest of any NFL player with at least 22 pass attempts.
The anticipation for Grier coming out of the draft was valid, though. In 2018 at West Virginia, Grier finished fourth in Heisman voting behind eventual No. 1 overall pick Kyler Murray, Tua Tagovailoa and Dwayne Haskins. His outstanding senior season earned him the Big 12 lead in passing touchdowns per game (3.4), passing yards per game and completions per game, all of which ranked within the Top 10 in the nation.
Although his pro career got off to a rocky start, Grier still has time to develop his potential. If he doesn’t win this battle, he should be a candidate for one of the team’s four protected practice squad spots.
P.J. Walker
Walker (5-foot-11, 210 pounds) has had quite the unconventional journey to end up here in Carolina. After playing college football at Temple under Rhule, Walker was signed by the Colts as an undrafted free agent. Then, following a two-day stint on their practice squad in 2019, he joined the XFL’s Houston Roughnecks, where his five-game performance made him the midseason MVP frontrunner. Walker led the league with 1,338 passing yards and 16 total touchdowns until the they cancelled their season due to COVID-19. It was reported that seven NFL teams expressed interest in signing him not long after.
Walker utilized his dynamic pocket presence and decisive playmaking to put up impressive numbers, even with a less talented roster. Granted, the competition Walker faced was also weaker, but the kinds of throws he made were highlight-reel worthy.
Walker will need to prove he can translate that dynamic, aggressive passing game we saw in the XFL to the NFL. If he can, this is his job to lose.
Wild cards: Colin Kaepernick, Blake Bortles, Joe Webb?
The conversation about Colin Kaepernick (6-foot-4, 230 pounds) comes up just about any time a team has quarterback issues. Just last month, multiple NFL teams expressed “legitimate interest” in signing Kaepernick, and it’s hard to ignore the fact that Carolina’s current backups are unproven options at this level. It would take a massive failure or dramatic injuries on the parts of Bridgewater, Walker and Grier for the Panthers to look for outside help. If it happens though, Kaepernick remains the top available free agent QB.
Blake Bortles (6-foot-5, 236 pounds) now has a 24-49 record as a starter and likely won’t be a franchise quarterback again in this league. He might still be functional as an emergency option, though. Last year, Touchdown Wire ranked Bortles as the ninth best backup quarterback in the NFL. That wasn’t enough to keep him around in Jacksonville. Still, the former No. 3 overall pick is on the high end of the limited options outside Kaepernick.
Joe Webb (6-foot-4, 231 pounds) has one thing the other options lack: experience with the Panthers. However, almost all of his teammates and coaches from Webb’s time in Carolina have gone especially after the franchise had the highest player turnover rate this offseason. The 33-year old Webb was a locker room leader and a multipurpose quarterback, receiver and return specialist. If the team suffers multiple injuries or COVID-19 cases, he could be called back if everything goes wrong.
Projected winner: P.J. Walker
An established relationship with the coaching staff is of utmost importance after an offseason when face-to-face interactions between players and new coaches were impossible due to the pandemic.
The lack of a preseason this year effectively crushes Grier’s opportunity to demonstrate any offseason improvement against real pro competition. Plus, any relationship he had previously established with Ron Rivera’s staff is now useless. Given the way things went in 2019, Grier would have to light the practice field on fire throughout training camp in order to earn Rhule’s trust.
Ultimately, we predict Walker’s familiarity with Rhule during his time in college combined with the flashes of skill he showed in the XFL will earn him the backup quarterback spot behind Bridgewater.
