Panthers' Sam Darnold: Expected to come off IR this week

Interim coach Steve Wilks expects Darnold (ankle) to come off injured reserve and practice this week, though he's unsure if Darnold can get up to speed quickly enough to face the Buccaneers on Sunday, Darin Gantt of the Panthers' official site reports.

Darnold has been on injured reserve since suffering a high-ankle sprain prior to the season. Once cleared for game action, Darnold could be handed the starting role quickly given the injuries to Baker Mayfield (ankle) and P.J. Walker (neck), which has left Jacob Eason as Carolina's only healthy quarterback.