Will Grier could make first career start for Panthers in Week 16
Kyle Allen has not played well over the past month or so after many were quick to say he is worthy of taking Cam Newton’s starting job, and the Carolina Panthers may now get a look at another quarterback down the stretch.
Panthers interim head coach Perry Fewell would not commit to Allen as the team’s Week 16 starter while speaking with the media on Monday. He said a decision will be made on Wednesday, which means Carolina is at least considering the possibility of giving rookie Will Grier his first career start.
Interim head coach Perry Fewell at the podium. He says he won’t make a QB decision until Wednesday. That’s a shift from the norm – saying Allen will start in the week ahead, usually on a Monday.
— Jourdan Rodrigue (@JourdanRodrigue) December 16, 2019
Allen has thrown 10 interceptions in his last five starts, and the Panthers have lost six games in a row. They’ve cooled off considerably since they went 5-1 in the first six games he played in after Newton went down. Suddenly, Allen doesn’t look as much like a franchise quarterback as he did when opponents had less film on him.
Grier, a former star at West Virginia, was Carolina’s third-round pick in this year’s draft. It would make sense for the Panthers to give him some reps now that they are 5-9 and out of the playoff hunt, but that doesn’t bode well for Allen’s future.
It seemed like a foregone conclusion at one point that Newton’s days with the Panthers were numbered, but we have heard some reports recently that make that sound less certain. If he’s healthy, there’s no question Newton is a better player than Allen. The Panthers seem more likely to keep Newton this offseason if they bench Allen for the final two games.
