Haynes King
Haynes King
Is Haynes King slowly forcing the Panthers’ hand?
Thursday night’s Hall of Fame Game between the Carolina Panthers and the Arizona Cardinals was exactly what teams hope to find in August football: unexpected developments.
For the Cardinals, rookie quarterback Carson Beck gave the fan base optimism after a strong performance against Carolina. For the Panthers, undrafted quarterback Haynes King created a different type of excitement.
King entered training camp competing for a roster spot. After Thursday’s 33-30 victory, he gave Carolina something every NFL team values: a difficult decision.
The former Georgia Tech quarterback showed the traits that made him really intriguing coming out of college. His athleticism allowed him to extend plays, pick up yards when passing lanes closed, and remain composed during a pressure-filled fourth quarter.
That performance does not guarantee King a roster spot. It also does not mean Carolina is suddenly considering him a replacement for Bryce Young or Kenny Pickett.
What it does mean is the Panthers now have to decide the best way to handle a young quarterback who showed enough upside to create legitimate interest.
Carolina has four realistic options.
Panthers Rumors: What Should Carolina Do With Haynes King After His Breakout Performance?
Option 1: Keep Haynes King on the 53-Man Roster
Likelihood: 75%
This is the most likely outcome.
The Panthers entered training camp with Bryce Young as their starter and Kenny Pickett as the veteran backup option. King was viewed as a developmental quarterback fighting for an opportunity. That opportunity is here.
Keeping King would give Carolina three quarterbacks with different skill sets. In the NFL, keeping three quarterbacks on the roster is becoming increasingly rare. However, there is a strong argument that Carolina’s quarterback room has three players who bring something different.
Young provides accuracy and creativity from the pocket, Pickett brings starting experience, and King offers mobility and the ability to create outside of structure.
More importantly, those are the exact traits that head coach Dave Canales praised after Thursday night’s win.
Canales talked about King’s ability to keep plays alive, move the chains, and remain composed in high-pressure situations. On the game-winning drive, King converted a huge third-and-14 by reading the defense, taking the open space, and making the play with his legs.
“Fantastic job just keeping the play alive, whatever he had to do: run it, throw it, doesn’t matter. Move the chains and keep it alive,” Canales said after the game.
That is the type of quarterback Carolina believes King can become. Canales also emphasized that the Panthers are not trying to take away King’s natural ability as a dual-threat quarterback. Instead, they want him to continue developing while using the athleticism that made him successful in college.
The biggest challenge would be finding enough roster flexibility elsewhere.
NFL teams constantly have to balance upside versus immediate needs. Carolina would need to decide whether King’s potential is worth using a roster spot on a developmental quarterback.
After Thursday night, that decision became much easier.
Option 2: Trade Haynes King While His Value Is Increasing
Likelihood: 5%
One possibility Carolina could consider is moving King before the regular season begins.
Earlier this week, some buzz was created on potential teams that could pursue King if Carolina released him during roster cuts. That discussion included teams such as the Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons.
However, King’s performance makes a waiver claim less likely to be the only scenario.
After watching him play, if another organization may believe King can be developed. Turn into a reliable backup or future starter, Carolina could receive calls before final roster decisions.
A late-round draft pick may not seem significant, but finding value from an undrafted player is exactly how successful teams build depth. Potential trade partners could include the Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys, and Detroit Lions.
At the end of the day, this is still an undrafted rookie that is trying to make a roster. If he can put a few games together, then this writer can see it becoming more likely.
Option 3: Keep Him as the Emergency Quarterback and Continue Developing Him
Likelihood: 10%
Another path is allowing King to continue developing without forcing an immediate decision.
Quarterbacks often take years before they are ready to contribute consistently in the NFL. Carolina could view King as a long-term investment rather than someone who needs to play immediately.
This would allow him to learn behind Young and Pickett while continuing to develop his mechanics, understanding of NFL defenses, and decision-making. The risk is that another team could claim him if the Panthers attempt to move him through waivers.
Option 4: Create a “Specialized” Package for King
Likelihood: 10%
King’s athletic ability makes this an interesting possibility, although it is not very likely.
Carolina could use him in specific situations, similar to how teams have utilized mobile quarterbacks in short-yardage and red-zone packages. If they do something, it would be in QB sneaks or short goal-line moves to give him a clear read option.
However, dedicating a roster spot to a situational quarterback requires a coaching staff to be committed to that role. This is a big year for Bryce Young, and taking time away from developing him as the franchise quarterback would hurt the Panthers.
Main Image: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images