XFL star P.J. Walker is new backup to Teddy Bridgewater with Carolina Panthers

Had the XFL handed out an MVP Award for this truncated season, there's no question that it would have gone to Houston Roughnecks quarterback P.J. Walker as he was the breakout start of the rebooted league and Houston was the only unbeaten club before the coronavirus shuttered the XFL. Walker was drawing heavy interest from NFL teams and on Monday signed with the Carolina Panthers.

This makes all the sense in the world as Walker played for new Panthers head coach Matt Rhule collegiately at Temple, setting numerous school records such as passing yards (10,668) and TDs (74). Walker was 28-19 as a starter with the Owls. 

With the Roughnecks, Walker threw for 1,338 yards and 15 touchdowns in five games, both tops in the league. Walker has never taken a regular-season snap in the NFL but did spend three years with the Indianapolis Colts on their practice squad.

Walker will clearly not be starting with Carolina as the team already has added free-agent Teddy Bridgewater on a three-year deal worth $63 million. This should speed up the process of the Panthers either trading or releasing Cam Newton and probably also Kyle Allen, too.

Carolina selected quarterback Will Grier in the third round of the 2019 draft. The former West Virginia star got into two late-season games and completed 53.8 percent of his passes for 228 yards with no TDs and four picks. Grier is on a very cheap contract so presumably will stick around as the No. 3 QB.

Carolina has a 2020 win total of just 5.5 at William Hill sportsbook with the Under a -125 favorite (bet $125 to win $100). Only the Jaguars (4.5) and Bengals (5) have lower win totals.

All XFL players are free as of Monday to sign with NFL teams. Walker's top target with the Roughneck, wideout Cam Phillips, likely will be signing somewhere today. He led the XFL in targets (44), catches (31), receiving yards (455) and touchdowns (nine).