Panthers will start Mayfield at QB with Walker injured

The opportunity to start at quarterback for Carolina is given to Baker Mayfield once more.

The No. 1 overall choice in the 2018 NFL Draft, Baker Mayfield, will start for the Panthers against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday after P.J. Walker was found to have a severe left ankle sprain.

Two defensive players collided with Walker’s leg during the fourth quarter of Carolina’s 25-15 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night. He stood up slightly lame but continued to play the game.

Steve Wilks, the interim head coach of the Panthers, stated that the incident was not covered at the time. “He simply accepted it. He completed the game. We discovered that he required an MRI as we continued to assess him.

Walker won’t play on Sunday, according to Wilks, but he won’t be put on injured reserve, the coach added.

Mayfield will be covered by Sam Darnold. Mayfield said he would speak with the media on Wednesday but declined to do so on Monday.

Walker claimed that at the time, he was unaware of the extent of the injuries, but “the photographs and pictures (from the MRI) said differently.”

As the starting quarterback, Walker was 2-3 with a 58% completion rate, three touchdowns, and three interceptions. He passed for 134.2 yards each game on average.