Carolina Panthers make definitive decision on quarterback Sam Darnold

The Carolina Panthers have placed quarterback Sam Darnold on injured reserve. Darnold is dealing with a shoulder injury that will sideline him for at least four weeks. Panthers head coach Matt Rhule doesn’t think that Darnold will miss the entire season, but he would miss at least four to six weeks.

Darnold will miss a minimum of three weeks before he is eligible to return to the active roster. But when he returns, his starting job might be gone. The Panthers signed former starting quarterback Cam Newton to a lucrative one-year deal on Thursday.

The Panthers started the year 3-0, with Darnold looking like the promising quarterback that they hoped he would become when acquiring him from the New York Jets. But things have fallen off quickly, and Darnold has seen serious struggles in recent weeks. Through nine games, Darnold has thrown for 1,986 yards, seven touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. He also has 185 rushing yards with five scores on the ground.

Darnold’s job could be gone when he returns from injury

Cam Newton was the No. 1 overall pick by the Panthers in 2011. He led the Panthers to three NFC South titles, four playoff appearances, a Super Bowl appearance, and won NFL MVP in 2015. While Newton certainly isn’t the same player that he used to be, returning to the Panthers might be what he needed to revive his NFL career.

In 125 games with the Panthers, Newton has thrown for 31,698 yards, 190 touchdowns and 118 interceptions. He also established himself as one of the best dual threat quarterbacks in the NFL, rushing for 4,806 yards and 58 touchdowns.

Newton’s new contract with the Panthers is worth up to $10 million this season. He gets $4.5 million fully guaranteed with a $1.5 million roster bonus. That kind of money suggests that Newton is going to see plenty of time of quarterback for the Panthers, regardless of the status of Darnold.

His season debut with the Panthers will likely have to wait another week. PJ Walker is expected to start at quarterback on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.

“It depends how quickly he can pick it up and how comfortable our coaches feel about putting him in,” Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer said on how soon Newton could see the field.

While Darnold has shown flashes, his play as the Panthers quarterback has been too inconsistent. His future could very likely hinge on how Newton performs when he returns to the field. Sunday’s kickoff between the Panthers and Cardinals is set for 4:05 p.m. ET in Arizona.