The Browns have been historically bad at the quarterback position, and the recent starts by Browns quarterback P.J. Walker further prove the instability at the position. Walker has a bumpy ride which has brought him to Cleveland. He was signed just a few weeks ago and started very quickly. It was announced Wednesday that he would be a member of the active roster.
He started his college career at Temple in 2013, where he played in games all four seasons and showed improvement each year. He became the starter Week 6 of his freshman year, and his Sophomore season featured 12 games where he threw for 2,317 passing yards. However, the numbers were not great as he completed 53.3 percent of his passes, and threw more interceptions (15) than touchdowns (13). He improved as a Junior, finishing with nearly 3,000 passing yards, 19 touchdowns, and a passer rating of 125.3. In his final year with Temple, he became more accurate and threw for similar numbers, increasing his passer rating to 140.1. The rushing numbers from his college tenure show he was not a great runner. Averaging just 2.3 yards per carry over four years, he totaled -100 rushing yards his senior year.
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P.J. Walker’s Unique Journey to Being the Cleveland Browns Starter
Leaving A Legacy
He left the Owls as the all-time leader in wins by a starting quarterback with 28 and holds records in a variety of statistics including passing yards and touchdowns. Additionally, his back-to-back bowl appearances in his final two years also was a first for the program.
After an up-and-down career at Temple, quarterback P.J. Walker went undrafted in the 2017 NFL Draft. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Indianapolis Colts that same year, but never really saw the field. He then made a transition to the Houston Roughnecks of the XFL. Finding success there, he led the league in both passing yards and touchdowns. Unfortunately, the league was suspended that season due to the coronavirus, but the season as a whole was a huge positive for him.
PJ WALKER WITH THE THROW OF THE YEAR
— Barstool Gambling (@stoolgambling) October 30, 2022
Quarterback P.J. Walker’s success in the XFL earned him another shot in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers. When football resumed in 2020 he appeared in four games for the Panthers and started one. He won his only game as a starter and finished the year with one passing touchdown and five interceptions. He had a similar 2021 season with the team, playing in five games including one start. Posting similar numbers, a breakthrough never really came. 2022 brought more starts as he opened up under center five times, posting 731 passing yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions.
Change of Scenery
With the Browns relying on Deshaun Watson at quarterback but dealing with persistent injuries, rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson had an unexpected start in Week 3. With little time to prepare, the Browns put up just three points with the inexperienced player. The unusual situation led Walker to the Cleveland Browns and has earned two starts to date.
He made some crucial throws against the talented San Francisco 49ers defense on October 15th, helping the Browns improve to 3-2 on the season. He had a 52.9 completion percentage, 192 passing yards, zero touchdowns, and two interceptions. With Watson reinjuring his shoulder in the next outing, Walker found himself back under center.
He struggled with accuracy and threw another interception, but added 178 passing yards and a win to his NFL resume. The outlook on Watson is still unknown and the rookie backup struggled in his only start. This means, Walker may be leaned upon for a little longer. Even with tongue situations and outcomes, quarterback PJ Walker has maintained time as an NFL player.
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Main Photo: Jenna Watson – USA Today Sports
