Carolina Panthers

There is a growing belief in NFL circles that Carolina Panthers interim coach Steve Wilks has earned the right to be appointed the team's full-time head coach, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

"Slam dunk to take interim tag off title," an AFC executive told Fowler. "Better brand of football since he took over."

"They play hard for him, has full command of locker room," an NFC executive added.

Since taking over for the fired Matt Rhule in October, Wilks has led the team to a 4-4 record. The Panthers were 1-4 before the switch.

That turnaround has the Panthers, somewhat shockingly, just one game behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-7) for first place in the NFC South, with a crucial matchup between the teams coming on New Year's Day.

If the Panthers win out—a doable scenario, with winnable matchups against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Detroit Lions, Bucs and New Orleans Saints left on the schedule—they are guaranteed to win the division since they already beat the Bucs once and a second victory in the matchup would give them the head-to-head tiebreaker.

They would also have a better divisional record than the 5-8 Atlanta Falcons if the Falcons won their four remaining games.

Wilks has turned around the Panthers amid a consistent quarterback carousel that has seen Baker Mayfield, PJ Walker and Sam Darnold all start, with Wilks settling on Darnold for the time being.

The team also traded key offensive playmakers Christian McCaffrey and Robbie Anderson and has leaned on a young, aggressive defense and the dual-headed rushing attack of D'Onta Foreman and Chuba Hubbard.

It has been an old-school approach, but it's worked for Wilks and the Panthers.

The 53-year-old has only been given one other NFL head coaching opportunity, going 3-13 with the Arizona Cardinals in the 2018 season. He's also spent time as a defensive coordinator with the Panthers (2017) and Cleveland Browns (2019) and has a long history coaching defensive backs and serving as an assistant head coach at the NFL level.

But he's helped turn this Panthers team around. If Carolina makes an unlikely push to the playoffs, he'll almost assuredly be handed the reins on a full-time basis.

The Carolina Panthers could win the NFC South with Steve Wilks as their interim head coach, but team owner David Tepper is keeping an eye on several names to take over on a permanent basis after this season.

Per ESPN's Dan Graziano, Tepper wants to hire someone with previous head-coaching experience and has a list of candidates that includes Sean Payton, Leslie Frazier, Marvin Lewis, Frank Reich and Dan Quinn.

Payton will probably be the top coaching candidate for every team with a vacancy this offseason. His situation is complicated by the fact that he retired from the New Orleans Saints, who still own his coaching rights through the 2023 season.

Any team that wants to hire Payton may end up needing to give the Saints compensation in a trade.

Even if the Panthers wanted to bring in Payton, the odds of New Orleans letting him go to a division rival would seem low barring some obscene trade offer.

Jon Gruden was traded from the Oakland Raiders to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2002 for a package that included two first-round draft picks, two second-round selections and $8 million.

It seems unlikely any team would make that kind of offer for a coach nowadays, but you never know what a desperate owner might do.

There's also the question of where Payton might want to coach if he returns next season. He is working as an NFL analyst for Fox and can stay in that role if there isn't a job opening he wants to take.

Quinn and Frazier are having outstanding seasons in their current roles. Quinn is in his second campaign with the Dallas Cowboys as defensive coordinator. The team ranks in the top 10 in yards allowed per game (310.9), passing yards allowed per game (182.4) and points allowed per game (17.6).

Frazier has been defensive coordinator and assistant head coach for the Buffalo Bills since 2020. Their defense ranked first in points allowed in 2021 and currently ranks second in points allowed (17.0) this season.

Reich's tenure with the Indianapolis Colts ended poorly, but he led the team to three winning seasons and two playoff appearances in his first four campaigns. The 61-year-old was also the offensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles team that won the Super Bowl in 2017.

Wilks has done a terrific job with the Panthers since taking over after Matt Rhule was fired in October. The team is 4-4 in eight games with Wilks after a 1-4 start to the season.

Sunday was the Panthers' best win of the campaign, as they pulled out a 30-24 victory on the road against a Seattle Seahawks team that is fighting for a playoff spot.

Despite trailing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers by one game, the Panthers control their destiny in the NFC South race. They already have a 21-3 victory over the Bucs, and the two teams play again in Tampa in Week 17.

Carolina Panthers wide receiver DJ Moore is day-to-day with a knee sprain, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

A source also told Schefter that the injury is "nothing significant."

The 2018 first-round pick had an excellent sophomore season for the Panthers in 2019, catching 87 passes for 1,175 yards and four touchdowns.

Moore went into the 2020 season as Carolina's No. 1 wideout, posting 66 catches for 1,193 yards and four scores.

Moore followed that up with another strong performance in 2021, catching 93 passes for 1,157 yards and four scores.

In 13 games this season, the 25-year-old has 46 receptions for 605 yards and four touchdowns. This season, four different players—Baker Mayfield, PJ Walker, Sam Darnold and Jacob Eason—have thrown passes for Carolina.

The quarterback situation gained a little clarity last week, as Mayfield was claimed off waivers by the Los Angeles Rams. And now that Darnold is healthy, it appears he will be the quarterback moving forward.

Carolina Panthers defensive end Henry Anderson told reporters that he suffered a minor stroke in October due to a blood clot in his brain.

Carolina Blitz relayed remarks from Anderson, who noted he went to the hospital after experiencing numbness and a loss of feeling in his extremities:

Anderson also noted that his speech became slurred as well. His wife eventually took him to the hospital, and he said the issue was "resolved pretty quickly."

"I didn't know much about strokes but I found out more about them and realized I got pretty lucky avoiding anything serious and long term," Anderson said, per Steve Reed of the Associated Press. "I am glad that I was kind of oblivious when it happened because I would have been a little more panicked had I realized what was going on. But like I said, I got pretty lucky."

Doctors could not find what may have caused the blood clot despite running a battery of tests.

"Every test we looked at came negative," Anderson said. "I think it was something that I got unlucky because they ran a ton of tests and everything was good. There wasn't anything that showed up or they could point to that they said could have caused it."

Anderson said that he's undergone numerous blood tests to ensure he doesn't have any lingering effects from the stroke.

The Panthers designated Anderson to return from the reserve/non-football injury list on Wednesday, which starts a 21-day window for him to return to the 53-man roster. Anderson said he's hoping to play Sunday at the Seattle Seahawks. He initially landed on the NFI list on Oct. 25.

The 31-year-old has played eight NFL seasons for the Indianapolis Colts (2015-2017), New York Jets (2018-2020), New England Patriots (2021) and Panthers (2022). He's posted 12 tackles (six solo) for the Panthers in six games this year and notably amassed a career-high seven sacks for the Jets in 2018.

Despite speculation to the contrary, quarterback Baker Mayfield was reportedly a model teammate during his time with the Carolina Panthers.

According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the Panthers felt Mayfield showed "great maturity" when he was demoted to the backup role behind PJ Walker and Sam Darnold and that he was not a "difficult teammate."

Furthermore, the Panthers reportedly believe Mayfield "accepted his role" and "didn't make any waves" despite the demotion.

Per ESPN's David Newton, Panthers head coach Steve Wilks said Monday that Mayfield requested his release and was granted it. The former Cleveland Browns signal-caller was subsequently claimed off waivers by the Los Angeles Rams.

The Cleveland Browns originally made Mayfield the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft, and while he had his moments, such as finishing second in the 2018 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year voting and leading the Browns to the playoffs for the first time since 2002 in 2020, he ultimately flamed out.

Mayfield played with an injured non-throwing shoulder for much of the 2021 season, and he struggled to the tune of a 6-8 record, 3,010 passing yards, 17 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 14 games.

The Browns decided to move on from Mayfield, trading a bounty of draft picks to the Houston Texans for quarterback Deshaun Watson, despite the fact that Watson had been accused of sexual assault or misconduct by 25 female massage therapists.

That spelled the end of Mayfield's tenure in Cleveland, with Jason Lloyd of The Athletic later reporting that he was viewed as "childish and immature" within the Browns organization.

After missing out on other opportunities to upgrade the quarterback position, the Panthers acquired Mayfield from the Browns prior to the start of the 2022 regular season in hopes that he could take the reins from Darnold.

Mayfield was named the Browns starter for Week 1 and went on to make six starts overall, but he struggled mightily with a 1-5 record. He also completed just 57.8 percent of his passes for 1,313 yards, six touchdowns and six interceptions for a Panthers team that fired head coach Matt Rhule.

The offense was so stagnant with Mayfield at the helm that the Panthers made the switch to an NFL journeyman and former XFL star in Walker until Darnold returned from injury.

L.A. could represent one of Mayfield's final NFL opportunities, particularly as a starter, provided he gets a chance to start down the stretch.

Quarterback Matthew Stafford is on injured reserve with a neck injury and presumed out for the remainder of the season, leaving the Rams with John Wolford and Bryce Perkins under center before they claimed Mayfield.

It has been a rough season for the Rams, but they are the reigning Super Bowl champions, and Mayfield could build up plenty of goodwill around the league with positive reports out of Los Angeles.

Sam Darnold could be in line to play for the first time this season when the Carolina Panthers take on the Baltimore Ravens in Week 11.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported quarterback PJ Walker will be sidelined with a high ankle sprain, which prompted head coach Steve Wilks to say Baker Mayfield will start.

Yet Darnold is expected to suit up as the backup after missing the first 10 games with his own high ankle sprain. If Mayfield struggles, the Panthers could look toward the USC product under center.

It should be noted that Darnold hasn't lived up to the expectations that came with being selected No. 3 overall by the New York Jets in the 2018 draft.

The 25-year-old has completed 59.8 percent of his 1,625 career throws with a lackluster 54-52 touchdown-to-interception ratio. He threw more INTs than TDs each of the past two years.

Darnold is coming off a 2021 season in which he ranked 29th in ESPN's Total QBR and received a poor 54.7 overall grade from Pro Football Focus. It was his first campaign in Carolina after three with New York.

His future with the Panthers first came into question when the front office selected fellow quarterback Matt Corral in the third round of this year's draft, and then the Mayfield trade in July ensured an even more difficult path to playing time.

Ahead of training camp, Darnold said he was ready to fight for the top spot on the depth chart.

"It's always fun to compete and to be able to have someone to compete with," he told reporters. "At the same time, in our eyes, we're both the starting quarterback for this team right now, and that's how we're going to view it."

Trade rumors started to pop up as Mayfield surged ahead in the competition, in part because Darnold carried a $18.9 million salary-cap hit in the final year of his rookie contract, which is a significant amount to pay a backup. Meanwhile, Corral suffered a season-ending foot injury in preseason.

Yet the ankle injury delayed the situation, and now he will be the team's backup with Walker sidelined.

The Carolina Panthers will start Baker Mayfield at quarterback next Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens after PJ Walker suffered a high ankle sprain in Thursday's win over the Atlanta Falcons.

Sam Darnold, who came off injured reserve last week, will serve as Mayfield's backup.

Mayfield started the Panthers' first five games of the season and appeared in one other contest, throwing for 1,117 yards and six touchdowns against four interceptions. The Panthers were 1-4 in games started by Mayfield, versus posting a 2-3 record in the five games started by Walker.

Neither quarterback seems likely to be in Carolina next season after the team fired coach Matt Rhule last month.

Given the struggles of Mayfield and Walker, it's a surprise that Darnold remains buried on the depth chart as a backup. He sat out the first nine weeks of the season with a high ankle sprain, but he knows the offensive system, and his performance could not be appreciably worse than the two other quarterbacks on the depth chart.

The Panthers' inability to find a consistent passing game has limited production for receiver DJ Moore, who has recorded just 39 receptions for 478 yards and three touchdowns. Moore signed a three-year, $61.9 million contract in July but has been one of the biggest fantasy busts of the season given his high preseason draft status.

Laviska Shenault Jr. has done just enough to get noticed by fantasy football managers this season, but the inconsistency makes it difficult for anyone to trust the third-year receiver.

Shenault showcased his ability in Thursday's win against the Atlanta Falcons, taking a swing pass to the house for what was officially ruled a 41-yard touchdown run:

It's the second touchdown of the year for Shenault, who also had a 67-yard score in Week 3.

Carolina's offense is desperate for this type of playmaking ability and speed after trading away Christian McCaffrey and Robbie Anderson, which could lead to more playing time going forward. However, he's still behind DJ Moore, Terrace Marshall Jr. and possibly Shi Smith on the depth chart.

Considering he's seen double-digit snaps in just three games this season, Shenault can be left on the waiver wire in redraft leagues. Until he produces in back-to-back games, he isn't worth more than adding to your watch list.

It's a different story in dynasty leagues with deep benches.

Shenault was a favorite among NFL draft analysts coming out of Colorado as a second-round pick in 2020. The Jacksonville Jaguars gave him endless chances in his first two years, and he showed his upside with five touchdowns as a rookie. He became a hot sleeper candidate in 2021 and earned 100 targets, although that resulted in just 63 catches for 619 yards and no touchdowns.

Despite the struggles, it's clear the Jaguars knew he could do damage with the ball in his hands.

The Panthers are finally seeing Shenault's potential as someone who can score from anywhere on the field. Now he just needs a quality quarterback and a creative offensive coach, which he doesn't have in Carolina.

Shenault remains under contract next season, and the Panthers could look very different with a new coaching staff. Quarterbacks PJ Walker, Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold are also all set to become free agents.

If you have the roster space, it might be a good time to add Shenault before a late-season showcase turns him into an impact player in 2023.

Carolina Panthers head coach Steve Wilks told reporters Friday that PJ Walker will likely remain the starting quarterback in Week 11.

Walker helped the Panthers earn a 25-15 win over the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday, improving the team's record to 3-7. He finished 10-of-16 passing for 108 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions in a rain-heavy game.

In six games (five starts), Walker has 731 passing yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions.

Carolina benched Walker during the Week 9 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, allowing Baker Mayfield to showcase his ability with 155 passing yards and two touchdowns, but the Panthers went back to Walker for Week 10.

Mayfield, the 2018 No. 1 overall pick, began the season as a starter after joining Carolina in an offseason trade from the Cleveland Browns. However, he played poorly and is 1-4 as a starter.

His 78.1 quarterback rating is the worst of his career, while his 16.9 Total QBR is easily the lowest of 32 qualified players.

Even after returning from a Week 5 ankle injury, Mayfield hasn't done enough to regain his starting job.

Sam Darnold has also returned from an ankle injury suffered in the preseason, but he was inactive for Thursday's game.

It leaves Walker as the top option, even with modest statistics.

Despite the Panthers' struggles, they remain in contention in the NFC South with just one fewer win than the first-place Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Carolina will face the Baltimore Ravens in Week 11.