Charlotte native QB Will Grier released by Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are waiving quarterback Will Grier.
Grier lost the backup quarterback battle to P.J. Walker this preseason after the two split time behind stater Sam Darnold.
The Charlotte native and former third-round pick has spent the last two seasons as the third quarterback on the Panthers roster. Coach Matt Rhule said Tuesday that he thinks the team will stick with two quarterbacks on the roster this year, however, he did not say specifically that Walker will be the team’s backup
“(Walker) would be (the No. 2) as of right now today, but I’m not gonna talk too much about the roster, in terms of certain guys, until (all the moves are made) tomorrow,” Rhule said.
. Rhule also did not rule out the possibility of adding the right veteran quarterback to support Darnold.
The former Davidson Day star started two games for the Panthers at the end of the 2019 season but had disastrous performances. He completed 53.8% of his passes and threw four interceptions.
Grier did play well this preseason, including scrambling for a 24-yard touchdown in the final game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He said, during the preseason, that he felt more comfortable playing than he had during any prior point of his NFL career.
“It’s not up to me,” Grier said on the backup quarterback battle after the second preseason game. “I try to take advantage of opportunities and show that I can play quarterback in this league, and then it comes down to what they want. That’s not my decision. I don’t look at it even as a battle with P.J. I look at his battle with myself to be the best me I can be every day.
“ ... I think we’re very different. I think we both can play really well in this league. I think it just comes down to that’s not our decision to make. We both come out and compete every day to get better, and ultimately that decision’s upstairs.”
Coach Matt Rhule worked with Walker at Temple. In the only game Teddy Bridgewater sat out during the 2020 season, Walker got the start. He has a tendency to be riskier with the football than Grier, however, Walker did not tun the ball over during the preseason, which was the top area the staff wanted to see him improve on.
“This being my fifth year in the league, you’re never really comfortable around this time of the year,” Walker said of the lead-up to the cuts. “That’s the hardest part of the business, is just going through these last couple of days.”
Returning to the practice squad could be a possibility for Grier, 26, but it is not a guarantee that he would take a spot.
Grier’s father, Chad, coaches football at Providence Day, and has worked with his son over the past couple of offseasons.
There are now just two of the seven players selected by the Panthers in the 2019 draft class still on the roster — Brian Burns and Dennis Daley. LT Greg Little, OLB Christian Miller, RB Jordan Scarlett and WR Terry Godwin are the other members of that class no longer with the team.
With the New England Patriots releasing Cam Newton on Tuesday morning, the last two quarterbacks drafted by the Panthers became available on the same day.
Latest Panthers cuts
▪ Safety Jalen Julius
▪ Guard Mike Horton
▪ Offensive tackle Aaron Monteiro
▪ Running back Spencer Brown
▪ Outside linebacker/defensive end Christian Miller
▪ Wide receiver C.J. Saunders
▪ Center Sam Tecklenburg
▪ Quarterback Will Grier
▪ Linebacker Josh Bynes
▪ Wide receiver Omar Bayless
▪ Tight end Stephen Sullivan
▪ Defensive end Frank Herron
▪ Wide receiver Keith Kirkwood
▪ Cornerback Rashaan Melvin
▪ Waived/injured running back Reggie Bonnafon
▪ Safety Kenny Robinson
▪ Running back Rodney Smith
▪ Injured reserve — long snapper Thomas Fletcher
This story was originally published August 31, 2021 at 9:26 AM.
