Carolina Panthers quarterback PJ Walker was nearly former Carolina Panthers quarterback PJ Walker. And now, come this Sunday, he could be Carolina Panthers starting quarterback PJ Walker.
The third-year passer spoke with reporters following Wednesday’s practice—one in which he took all the first-team reps ahead of the Week 6 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. And with Baker Mayfield nursing a high-ankle sprain, it could be the time to shine for Walker—who was the odd man out just two months ago.
“It’s crazy,” he said. “Over the summertime, I had a different perspective on this whole situation. And now, this situation coming up now. We’ll see what happens on Sunday. Haven’t anything been said, so we’ll just see what happens.”
If it happens for Walker, it’ll be the third start of his NFL career. His first two panned out quite well for the Panthers, as he guided them to wins over the Detroit Lions in 2020 and (with some help from Cam Newton) the Arizona Cardinals last season.
Obviously, the prospect of this third start probably wasn’t even a thought for the 27-year-old back in the summer.
Carolina essentially had the position set—with Mayfield, Sam Darnold and rookie Matt Corral in tow. So Walker, as the fourth in line, would’ve likely ended up on the practice squad or on the free agent market—and he knew it.
“Just the way the room was. How deep the room was at the time,” he said about his outlook during the summer. “Things happened. And for me, I just kept my head down, kept working. However it played out, it played out. And this is a week I could possibly be playing.”
Preseason injuries to Darnold and Corral gave Walker life as the team’s backup heading into Week 1. And now, that life could be extended under center opposite the defending Super Bowl champions this weekend.
