Panthers HC Matt Rhule anticipates Sam Darnold to be out 'at least 4 weeks'
After a near-summer long QB1 battle between newcomer Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold in Carolina, the former Heisman Trophy winner and Oklahoma product earned the gig, in an expected outcome. Darnold was all set up to be Mayfield's second-in-command, until last Friday night's preseason finale against the Buffalo Bills, when the former USC Trojans quarterback went down with a high-ankle sprain.
Initial reports indicated that it would be a four-to-six week absence for Darnold and on Monday, Panthers head coach Matt Rhule more or less confirmed that prognosis.
Darnold is the second quarterback on the team's depth chart to go down with a serious ailment in August, as rookie Matt Corral went on injured reserve with a Lisfranc injury recently. With Corral and Darnold on the shelf now, the backup gig would seem to fall in the lap of P.J. Walker, who has been with the organization since March 2020 and whose nine career games (two starts) have all come with Carolina.
Apparently, however, the 27-year-old hasn't been guaranteed that role yet.
Following Friday's preseason tilt, and Darnold's injury, Rhule was asked about the possibility of another reunion with former MVP quarterback Cam Newton, to which he replied, "Cam would have to weigh in on that." The 33-year-old free agent spent the first nine years of his career with the Panthers from 2011 to 2019, before playing for the New England Patriots in 2020 and suiting up for eight largely unsuccessful contests with Carolina again last season.
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