The Carolina Panthers saw an interesting development in the Hall of Fame Game last Thursday.
Undrafted free agent quarterback Haynes King took the team by storm. Not many gave King a chance to make the team, considering Kenny Pickett is in place as the backup, and the Panthers haven't liked to keep more than two quarterbacks in recent times.
But after King's preseason debut, it's not hard to imagine him making the team. The quarterback threw for 180 yards and two touchdowns and also rushed for 39 yards and a score.
The King hype was going crazy after that debut, but some bad news came out on Saturday. It was revealed that King suffered an injury in that game and would be considered week-to-week.
On Sunday, head coach Dave Canales offered an update on the rookie passer.
After Sunday's practice, Canales spoke with the media and offered comments on a range of topics, including King.
"From what I understood, it was on that last play—where he kinda lunged forward and dove for the goal line, and really gave everything he had, literally," Canales said of the injury.
"We'll just keep evaluating him on a weekly basis. I do not see him coming back for this game, for sure. We'll reevaluate him on the following week to see when we can get him back out there."
Many wondered when King actually got hurt, so it was nice to see Canales clarify that. The rookie actually got hurt on the final play of the game, which was a game-winning rushing touchdown.
The coach also mentioned that he does not see King playing in the next preseason game. Ahead of Sunday, that meant that Bryce Young and Kenny Pickett were the only healthy passers on the roster.
That's why, on Sunday, the Panthers decided to sign quarterback Kyle Trask. Trask has played for Canales before, so that level of familiarity should help him get acclimated quickly.
Since King can't play, Trask should get plenty of run in the second preseason game. It will be interesting to see if the veteran can impress enough to stick around or if he will be cut loose when King gets back.
As for King, it will be interesting to see if the rookie can get back in time to stake his claim on a roster spot. The Panthers play four preseason games, so that extra game could end up giving King another chance to impress.
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