Matt Rhule provides update on Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold

Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule provided fans and followers of the team with some good news about injured starting quarterback Sam Darnold. Darnold has been out since Week 9 after being placed on injured reserve with a shoulder injury. On Monday, the former USC Trojans quarterback will have a doctor’s appointment to evaluate the injury in hopes of clearing him for contact practice.

“If Sam is healthy, we will practice him and see kind of where he’s at,” Rhule said. “I think it’s a good opportunity to shake some of the rust off him and see where he’s at in the process. I can’t speculate who will be the full-time guy until we have some more information.”

The Carolina Panthers have been in a tailspin after starting the season 3-0. In fact, the Panthers went 1-5 in the last six games that Darnold has started. And the mid-season acquisition of former Panthers MVP quarterback Cam Newton has yielded very little success. Carolina is 1-4 since signing Newton and winless in the four games he has started.

Carolina adds kicker to it’s wishlist

The quarterback position is not the only position that the Panthers are holding their breath on this week. After kicker Zane Gonzalez injured himself warming up prior to their 31-14 loss to the Buffalo Bills, the Panthers are now scrambling for a solution at kicker.

And with Gonzalez out, before the game could even start on Sunday, it led to this Ccomical video of multiple Panthers players practicing various kicks. One shot, in particular, showed backup quarterback PJ Walker attempting a field goal.

Here it is pic.twitter.com/dw0XZj2LeT

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) December 19, 2021

Oof. The Panthers went for two on each touchdown they score against Buffalo.

Outside of Walker, other players also attempted to throw their names into the hat for the Panthers’ replacement kicker. Elsewhere in the video, wide receiver Brandon Zylstra was seen attempting an onside kick. It also went about how you would expect it to.

Originally reported by Panthers beat reporter Joe Person, their kicker left the field in bad shape during warmups.

“Zane Gonzalez is being helped off the field,” tweeted Person. “This is not good.”

Furthermore, Person added that Gonzalez looked to injure a part of your body pretty important to his position — his leg.

“Looked to be a leg injury,” revealed Person. “Went straight into the locker room with JJ Jansen and training staff.”