Panthers GM Scott Fitterer confirmed the team is placing QB Sam Darnold on injured reserve, per Joe Person.
He’ll miss at least the first four games of the season as he recovers from a sprained ankle suffered in the final game of the preseason.
Carolina will lean on QB P.J. Walker as the backup in the meantime.
Darnold, 25, is a former first-round pick of the Jets back in 2018. He was in the final year of a four-year, $30.370 million rookie contract when he was traded to the Panthers last year.
Carolina exercised Darnold’s fifth-year option for 2022 after acquiring him from New York. He’s set to make a base salary of $18.858 million in 2022 under the fifth-year option.
Darnold will be an unrestricted free agent in 2023.
In 2021, Darnold appeared in 12 games for the Panthers and completed 59.9 percent of his pass attempts for 2,527 yards, nine touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. He’s also rushed 48 times for 222 yards and five touchdowns.
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