When the Carolina Panthers agreed March 23 to sign P.J. Walker, the former Temple quarterback proved that the XFL had worked in providing players NFL opportunities. As the star of the XFL's relaunch for the 2020 season, Walker starred in five games on the Houston Roughnecks and was rewarded with the Panthers' two-year contract for $1.6 million.

The 6-foot, 207-pound Walker completed 119 of 184 passes (64.7 percent) for 1,338 yards and 15 touchdowns to four interceptions for the undefeated Roughnecks (5-0) before the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States canceled the season. Walker added 24 carries for 99 yards (4.1 average) and one touchdown.

"The experience in the five games we played — I wish we played a full season," Walker said late Saturday evening on ESPN's SportsCenter with co-host Steve Levy, an XFL broadcaster. "But for a lot of guys like myself, being out there, going out there, playing in front of fans and getting the experience to get those minutes, it was awesome, just to get that experience."

On the Panthers, Walker reunites with former Temple head coach Matt Rhule, whom Carolina hired Jan. 7 to run the organization on a seven-year contract worth $60 million. Walker earned his spot with the Owls as a four-year starting quarterback under Rhule from 2013-16, and he has a similar opportunity unfolding on a depth chart that includes veteran Teddy Bridgewater and second-year pro Will Grier.

"It was more so the opportunity with Carolina and it was the best fit for me," said Walker, who could test the newly-signed Bridgewater after the Panthers released longtime starter Cam Newton. "And for me, I wanted to go where I felt comfortable, and I felt comfortable with coach Rhule. And especially with the opportunity, I just wanted to take advantage of that as well."

Before the XFL, Walker was with the Indianapolis Colts on the practice squad from 2017-18. Signed by Indianapolis on May 3, 2017, as a free agent following the 2017 NFL Draft, Walker was let go before the 2019 regular season, waived Aug. 31 from the 53-man roster to the practice squad and fully released two days later.

Drafted by the Roughnecks in the XFL's draft last October, Walker beat out Houston's first-round pick, Connor Cook, for the starting job. Walker plans to keep that same energy in the NFL with the Panthers.

"It's the same approach I had when I was at Indy and also the same approach I had when I was with the Roughnecks," Walker said. "Just to continue to develop and get better as a quarterback and grow, just to learn as much as I can from Teddy and Will and just continue to grow as much as a player and help those guys as much as I can as well."

"For me, I feel like it's pretty much everybody on the team, because it's a new coaching staff and it's a new everything — new playbook," Walker added. "So we've got to walk into this (same) situation with our hands up and just continue to grind and to be ready to work. It's going to be a long process and we've just got to get ready to go, when the opportunity comes."

In 49 games at Temple from 2013-16, Walker completed 56.9 percent of his passes for 10,668 yards and 74 touchdowns to 44 interceptions while adding 341 rushes for 771 yards (2.3 average) and nine touchdowns. He was the 247Sports Composite's No. 1,607 overall prospect, No. 41 dual-threat quarterback and No. 42 player in New Jersey for the 2013 class as a three-star recruit out of Elizabeth (N.J.) High.

"So we were supposed to start some video chats and stuff like that starting Monday, but as of right now, that got pushed back," Walker said. "So we're just looking forward to seeing when they give us the date to — at least virtually — meet. So I'm just looking forward to when they give us that schedule."