The Carolina Panthers may not have kicked off their “Black Monday” with a new head-coaching vacancy, but general manager Scott Fitterer still remained busy.
As reported by Joseph Person of The Athletic early Monday afternoon, the team will be re-signing backup quarterback P.J. Walker to a one-year deal. Walker was set to become an exclusive-rights free agent this offseason.
Walker played in five games with one start for the Panthers in 2021. He completed 54.5 percent of his throws for 362 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions while maintaining his perfect 2-0 record as a starter.
His first win headlined a 2020 shutout victory over the Detroit Lions, with the second coming in this season’s upset win over the Arizona Cardinals. Over both starts, Walker totaled 425 passing yards on a 73-percent completion percentage. However, he only threw for two passing scores while tossing three interceptions in those outings.
While the team now has some quarterback depth locked in for at least one more season, their starter is far more uncertain. The Panthers ended the campaign with Cam Newton and Sam Darnold on their active roster, though Newton decisively told reporters Monday that he is “not coming back for no 5-12 [record].”
Meanwhile, Darnold is under contract for a guaranteed salary of almost $19 million from the Panthers in 2022, making it tough for Fitterer to move on from him just yet.
