Carolina Panthers Announce QB News, And It's Bad News For Baker Mayfield

PJ Walker will get another start at quarterback for the Carolina Panthers this Sunday.

Walker was pressed into starting service the past two games after Baker Mayfield suffered an ankle injury, and he led the team to a 1-1 record as QB1.

Now, interim head coach Steve Wilks announced that Walker will start against the Falcons, whether Mayfield and Darnold are ready to go or not.

While it's not clear whether or not Mayfield or Darnold will be ready to go against the Falcons, Adam Schefter reported over the weekend the expectation is both could be available.

This is a pretty wild development in Carolina. Walker got his shot at the starting job, and he's played reasonably well. Now, it sounds like it's his job to keep for the time being.

Last week, Walker threw for 177 yards and two touchdowns in a 21-3 win over the Buccaneers. He also completed 72.7% of his passes.

Prior to joining the Panthers, Walker was a dominant player in the XFL before the league collapsed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Panthers QB PJ Walker will start against the Falcons. (Photo by John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

What does PJ Walker starting mean for Baker Mayfield?

While it's still not clear if Mayfield will even be available Sunday, the fact he won't start either way is a bad sign of his status with the Panthers.

Prior to getting hurt, Mayfield led the Panthers to an abysmal 1-4 record. In those five games, he threw for 962 yards and four touchdowns. He also threw four interceptions and completed less than 55% of his passes. The numbers are absolutely brutal

Clearly, interim head coach Steve Wilks believes he's more than justified in continuing to roll with Walker.

Will Baker Mayfield ever start again for the Panthers? (Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images)

Now, the situation could definitely change and Mayfield could get his job back. That's very possible. Just for the time being, Mayfield will be glued to the bench.