Panthers notebook: Sam Darnold practices, but PJ Walker to start against Buccaneers
Sam Darnold hadn’t taken a practice rep in nearly two months. But on Wednesday, the Carolina Panthers quarterback took snaps under center, faked handoffs and tossed passes on the practice field.
The former starting quarterback had been on the shelf with a left high ankle sprain since the preseason finale against the Buffalo Bills on Aug. 26. And while Darnold remains on injured reserve, the team activated his 21-day practice window just before the first workout of the week.
Darnold has to be activated to the 53-man roster before the three-week window ends or he will stay on IR for the remainder of the campaign.
“That’s a day-to-day thing for me,” Darnold said after practice. “I think it’s just making sure I really bounce back from today, understanding how my ankle feels and kind of take it from there.”
In his first practice of the regular season, Darnold looked accurate passing the ball in individual drills. He also didn’t seem to have any restrictions with his injured ankle.
“I think the biggest thing is making sure (the injury) doesn’t linger,” Darnold said. “That after today, coming back tomorrow, making sure it isn’t super swollen tomorrow. Just making sure it feels good every single day. I think that’s the biggest thing.”
Darnold lost the starting quarterback competition to Baker Mayfield during training camp this past summer. The Panthers traded a conditional 2024 fifth-round pick to the Cleveland Browns for Mayfield after Darnold had a forgettable first season in Carolina last year.
Now, Darnold and Mayfield are both recovering from high ankle sprains. Mayfield also missed last week’s loss to the Los Angeles Rams, as backup PJ Walker led the offense.
Walker, Darnold and practice-squad quarterback Jacob Eason all took individual reps during the open portion of practice on Wednesday.
Interim head coach Steve Wilks said after practice that Walker will be the team’s starter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 7, and he will keep that job on a week-to-week basis for the foreseeable future. Eason will be the backup quarterback.
“We got a lot of information the last couple of days, Baker is still working ... It’s still a day-to-day process with him,” Wilks said. “Sam came back today, looked pretty good, took some reps on the scout team, and PJ took all of the reps with the (starters). He’s going to be the starter this week, moving forward.”
Darnold won’t appear on the Panthers’ injury report until he is activated from injured reserve. Wilks said he isn’t eager to rush his return timeline with the three-week window in place.
“Well, I think it’s really predicated off him and how he progresses,” Wilks said. “We have that 21-day window. But again, you don’t want to try to press him too soon. He hasn’t really done anything for a while, so I don’t want him to have a relapse. But I would trust his judgment and his communication with us and the training staff.”
Roy back on the field, too
Along with Darnold, the Panthers designated defensive tackle Bravvion Roy to return from injured reserve as well. Roy will now have 21 days to return to the 53-man roster.
Roy injured his hamstring in Week 1 and was placed on injured reserve in Week 2. Roy was seen on the practice field on Wednesday.
Wilks said he thinks Roy will be ready to play on Sunday.
“I think a guy that is going to add some value inside — with the rotation,” Wilks said. “He’s played a lot for us, we try to monitor his reps as well, because when you get back you don’t want to put a lot on those guys, and all of sudden (the hamstring) gets pulled again.”
With Roy potentially back, the Panthers will have some additional depth behind Derrick Brown and Matt Ioannidis. Carolina also has Phil Hoskins and Marquan McCall at defensive tackle.
Roy, a 2020 sixth-round pick out of Baylor, has played 34 games and produced 61 tackles and a sack.
Laviska Shenault will play vs. Buccaneers
After being sidelined for two weeks with a hamstring injury, wideout Laviska Shenault practiced to start the week. According to Wilks, Shenault will return to game action on Sunday against the Buccaneers.
The Panthers officially listed Shenault as a limited participant. He is expected to step up following Monday’s trade of Robbie Anderson to the Arizona Cardinals.
Mayfield, cornerbacks Donte Jackson (ankle) and CJ Henderson (concussion protocol), center Pat Elflein (hip) and running back Christian McCaffrey (rest) were all sidelined for the first practice of the week.
McCaffrey has been given a veteran day off every week this season on Wednesdays. Jackson, Henderson and Elfein were all injured on Sunday against the Rams.
Linebackers Frankie Luvu (shoulder) and Cory Littleton (groin), defensive end Henry Anderson (elbow), cornerback Jaycee Horn (ribs), safety Sean Chandler (hamstring) and Ioannidis (neck) all listed as limited participants.
Luvu and Horn both missed the loss to the Rams in Week 6.
This story was originally published October 19, 2022 at 4:34 PM with the headline "Panthers notebook: Sam Darnold practices, but PJ Walker to start against Buccaneers."
