The Carolina Panthers said Teddy Bridgewater would be a game-time decision. They meant it.
After it first appeared Bridgewater would be active, the Panthers changed their minds at the last minute, and the starting signal-caller is officially inactive for today's game vs. the Detroit Lions due to a knee injury.
P.J. Walker is set to get the start, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported. The Panthers later confirmed the news.
The Panthers initially planned to have all three quarterbacks active with Bridgewater working as the emergency QB, Rapoport reported, but the team will play it safe.
Bridgewater suffered a sprained MCL late last week against Tampa Bay. Early in the week, he did little in practice, and it appeared he would miss Sunday's game against the Lions. As the week progressed, however, Teddy Two Gloves was able to get more work in and pushed to play.
Panthers coach Matt Rhule played coy all week, keeping the door notched open for Bridgewater not only to be active but start. In the end, the team won't risk their starter even in an emergency situation.
The decision puts Walker in line to make his first career start. Walker spent stints on the Indianapolis Colts practice squad from 2017-2019. He starred in the XFL with the Houston Roughnecks in the spring before the league folded. Walker's start brings intrigue to an affair between two NFC middling dwellers.
The Panthers will also be without star running back Christian McCaffrey, left tackle Russell Okung, corner Donte Jackson, right guard John Miller and safety Sam Franklin. The Lions inactives include running back D'Andre Swift, WRs Kenny Golladay and Danny Amendola, defensive linemen Da'Shawn Hand and Austin Bryant, guard Logan Stenberg and QB David Blough.
