Will Grier’s OROY Odds Remain at +5000 as Kyle Allen Expected to Replace Cam Newton in Week 3

• Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton will be out for Week 3 and possibly Week 4.
• Kyle Allen has been tabbed the Panthers starter for now.
• Allen is an undrafted free agent while Will Grier was the team’s third-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.

Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton is still dealing with a foot injury and is now expected to be out for the next few weeks. The Panthers drafted a quarterback in the 2019 NFL Draft and while Will Grier isn’t slated to start Week 3, could he eventually get the job? And if so, is he worth a look at the Rookie of the Year props?

2019 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Odds

*Odds taken 09/19/19

Newton’s Injury Opens Door

Newton injured his ankle in the preseason and while most reports suggested he’d be fine in time for the regular season, he clearly hasn’t looked right. He has yet to throw a touchdown pass through two games and is completing just 56.2% of his passes. His QBR of 26.4 is among the worst in the NFL.

We aren’t sure if Newton is beginning to show real decline or is simply not healthy, but it looks like it’s the latter. He didn’t practice on Thursday and was back in a walking boot, so he looks like he’ll be out at least a couple of weeks.

Now the Panthers will turn to Allen, who is a second-year player that has played sparingly.

Will Allen Start Long-Term?

Allen is an undrafted free agent, so it’s not as if he was highly thought of coming out of the draft. The only real look we had at him was in Week 17 last year when he went 16-of-27 for 228 yards, two touchdowns and no picks. He was mostly facing the New Orleans Saints backups in that game.

Allen has a limited ceiling but he looks like he’s the type of guy that can hold the fort for a week or two, which is all that’s necessary. Newton should be back soon but if he’s not, the Panthers could turn to third-round pick Will Grier if the season starts getting out of hand.

Does Grier Have a Shot?

It says a lot about the Panthers that they drafted Will Grier in the third round but still decided to keep Allen. Grier was 15-7 as a starter for West Virginia, completing 66% of his passes with a healthy 9.4 yards per attempt. He’s a gunslinger who could work well in this offense, now that there are good weapons in D.J. Moore and Curtis Samuel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_RMVjQ5NBI

But the team clearly feels he’s not yet ready. Otherwise they wouldn’t have kept Allen on the roster – an undrafted quarterback that’s unlikely to get another job if he’s cut. That’s not exactly a vote of confidence for Grier. It looks like the Panthers would rather only see him if the season is lost.

What’s The Best Bet?

There’s no good reason to be betting Grier here – even at +5000. Sure, the payoff is juicy but it’s unrealistic. He’s already way behind guys like Kyler Murray and Josh Jacobs, and there’s no clear indication that he’ll be starting anytime soon. With Newton expected back in a couple of weeks, don’t bet on Grier’s NFL OROY odds.