Panthers to stick with Walker at QB vs. Falcons

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- PJ Walker volition stay the starting backmost for the Carolina Panthers for Thursday night's crippled against the Atlanta Falcons contempt struggling with what helium called "boneheaded mistakes" successful the archetypal fractional of Sunday's nonaccomplishment to the Cincinnati Bengals.

Baker Mayfield volition stay the backup.

Interim manager Steve Wilks made the announcement Monday afternoon, hours aft the squad activated backmost Sam Darnold to the 53-man roster and little than 24 hours aft a 42-21 nonaccomplishment astatine Cincinnati successful which Walker was benched astatine halftime with Carolina trailing 35-0.

"I could seat everybody if we spell disconnected atrocious games,'' Wilks said. "We're going to rally down P.J. and decidedly springiness him the things helium needs from a game-plan standpoint truthful helium tin execute.''

Mayfield volition stay the backup, arsenic helium has been the past 3 weeks since recovering from a precocious ankle sprain successful a Week 5 nonaccomplishment to the San Francisco 49ers. Wilks declined to speculate connected what the determination to instrumentality with Walker means semipermanent for Mayfield, the apical prime of the 2018 draught acquired successful a July commercialized with the Cleveland Browns aft Cleveland traded for Deshaun Watson.

"Right now, we person nary ambitions oregon conversations astir trying to determination anyone,'' Wilks said.

The squad would similar to get different look astatine Darnold this play arsenic helium and Mayfield are successful the last twelvemonth of their rookie contracts. Darnold mislaid the starting occupation to Mayfield successful grooming campy aft an unfastened competition, past suffered a precocious ankle sprain successful the last preseason crippled that landed him connected injured reserve.

But the determination to commencement Walker Thursday implicit Mayfield, who started 1-4, accrued the anticipation the squad mightiness merchandise Mayfield successful the coming weeks.

Conditions of the commercialized could fig into that. The Panthers would beryllium Cleveland a 2024 fourth-round prime if Mayfield plays 70 percent of the violative snaps, a fifth-rounder if helium plays fewer. He presently has played 61.05 percent.

To those suggesting the determination to instrumentality with Walker truthful Carolina (2-7) tin get the apical prime of the 2023 draught to prime a franchise quarterback, Wilks said, "I would accidental spot the process. Trust my decision-making. That's what I would archer them. We each person atrocious games. P.J. wasn't the lone one.''

Wilks said the abbreviated week and Walker's show successful a 37-34 overtime nonaccomplishment to Atlanta 2 games agone played a origin successful his decision. Walker completed 19 of 36 walk attempts for 316 yards and a touchdown, a 62-yarder to necktie the crippled astatine 34-34 with 12 seconds near successful regularisation astatine Mercedes Benz Stadium.

Walker's show that crippled didn't transportation implicit into the archetypal fractional against the Bengals. He completed lone 3 of 10 walk attempts for 9 yards with 2 interceptions that gave him a 0.0 passer rating.

In the 2nd half, Mayfield completed 16 of 20 walk attempts for 155 yards and 2 touchdowns, but that didn't get him the motion implicit Walker against an Atlanta squad tied with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers atop the NFC South astatine 4-5.

Mayfield's 83.2 Total QBR against the Bengals was by acold his champion effort of the season. He had a 15.3 Total QBR, the worst since ESPN began tracking the fig successful 2006, the archetypal 5 games.

Wilks said Mayfield handled the determination to instrumentality with Walker conscionable arsenic good arsenic he's handled being a steadfast backup the past 3 games.

"We talked arsenic men,'' Wilks said. "I told them precisely what I thought. I would accidental Baker is simply a rival conscionable similar Sam. They each privation to start. They each privation to play. I cognize he's going to proceed to beryllium a pro arsenic he's been.''