The Carolina Panthers have high expectations for Will Grier. They used a valuable third-round pick for his draft rights, but the preseason is showing that he may not be the man the team should line up behind Cam Newton.
As noted by Pro Football Talk's Darin Gantt, Grier was drilled from behind by unblocked Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Jayrone Elliott, fumbled, and Elliott scooped it up and returned it 88 yards for a touchdown.
It was the latest mishap in what has been a frustrating preseason for the rookie quarterback, who also had an interception returned for a touchdown in the second preseason game against the Bills. In the first three preseason games, Grier was a combined 23-of-43 for 196 yards, with a touchdown and two interceptions (54.0 passer rating).
These numbers have been nothing short of disappointing for a man who posted 3,864 yards during his final year with the West Virginia Mountaineers. His subpar preseason is also opening the door for Kyle Allen to snag the backup spot under his nose.
Allen was undrafted in the 2018 but impressed the Panthers enough to secure a contract with them. He has only played two NFL games, completing 20 passes for 266 yards.
If Grier is not able to instill confidence in Ron Rivera, there's little to no question that he will be the third man in the QB depth chart. The team will most likely give him a year to develop his game. However, the NFL waits for no one, and good QBs are always coming in. If Grier doesn't get his act together, he could find himself without a team to call home down the line.
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