Carolina Panthers coach George Seifert has said throughout the preseason that his team does not have a quarterback controversy.
It does now.
Chris Weinke, last year's Heisman Trophy winner, began working with the first-team offense Saturday, just two days after Jeff Lewis struggled against the Baltimore Ravens.
Seifert said Weinke will start against the Cleveland Browns in the Panthers' preseason finale Friday, but wouldn't name a starter for the season opener against the Minnesota Vikings on Sept. 9.
"He's going to start this next game," Seifert said. "But I can't really go beyond that right now, because I don't know. I couldn't put anything in cement, so to speak."
Lewis had been the starter in the preseason, but was 15-for-27 for 115 yards with four interceptions in three games. He was just 6-of-11 for 19 yards and had three interceptions in a span of four passes in a 20-17 victory over the Ravens Thursday night.
Weinke has hit 30-of-54 passes for 350 yards and a touchdown in the preseason. The 29-year-old rookie was 15-for-25 for 190 yards against the Ravens and led three scoring drives in the second half as the Panthers rallied from a 17-0 deficit.
Weinke has led Carolina to three touchdowns and three field goals in 13 drives during the preseason while Lewis has produced just one touchdown in 18 series.
"Obviously I'm very excited, but let's not forget I still have a long way to go," said Weinke, the Panthers' fourth-round draft choice out of Florida State. "There's still a lot of things for me to learn and I need to keep improving on things. But it's what I came here for. I want to be a starter in the NFL."
The news was difficult for Lewis, who had been the Panthers' projected starter since Steve Beuerlein was released during the off-season.
"Sometimes life doesn't go the way you want it," Lewis said. "I think I'm harder on myself than anybody else is. I have no problem saying how it is. I made some mistakes. I'm going to try to get better, learn from them. One thing I need to do is quit beating up myself, because I get that enough as it is."