Teddy Bridgewater Expected to Return from Knee Injury for Panthers vs. Vikings

Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule said Wednesday he expects quarterback Teddy Bridgewater to play against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, according to ESPN's David Newton.

Rhule added that he does not expect running back Christian McCaffrey to play, however. Bridgewater missed last week's 20-0 win over the Detroit Lions, while McCaffrey has missed the Panthers' past two games with a shoulder ailment.

Bridgewater exited during Carolina's 46-23 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 10. With Bridgewater unable to play last week, Rhule turned to P.J. Walker, who made his first career NFL start.

Walker, who played collegiately at Temple under Rhule, was the star player in the 2020 XFL season, which the COVID-19 pandemic cut short.

The 25-year-old Walker went 24-of-34 for 258 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions in the shutout victory over Detroit.

Bridgewater is in the midst of the first season of a three-year deal he signed with Carolina during the offseason. The 28-year-old veteran is serving as a full-time starter for the first time since 2015 with the Minnesota Vikings.

Although he is only 3-7 as a starter this season for the 4-7 Panthers, Bridgewater has played well, completing 72.1 percent of his passes for 2,552 yards, 13 touchdowns and seven interceptions to go along with 196 yards and three scores on the ground.

It is fitting that he is returning against Vikings, who took him with the No. 32 overall pick in the 2014 NFL draft out of Louisville.

With Bridgewater back at the helm, the Panthers' dangerous aerial attack should be firing on all cylinders with DJ Moore, Robby Anderson and Curtis Samuel serving as his top pass-catchers.

Being without McCaffrey yet again will hurt, but veteran Mike Davis has been solid in his place, and he figures to draw another start against Minnesota.