CHARLOTTE — The last time anyone saw Jack Plummer, he ran Panthers plays pretty well.

For the last seven weeks, the only time Jack Plummer ran a Panthers play was if another team happened to have it in their playbook, too.

This week, he's running a few, just in case, and "stealing" a few wherever he can to try to stay ready.

With uncertainty over the status of Andy Dalton's right thumb injury and whether he can even serve as a backup Sunday at Denver, Plummer is suddenly in the mix again for this weekend, as the only other quarterback on the roster other than starter Bryce Young.

Welcome to the life of a suddenly possibly necessary practice squad quarterback.

"Obviously, they've got to get the guys who are playing ready to play; I understand that," Plummer said. "For me It's making the most of whatever limited reps I get and being mentally prepared for whatever may happen."

If Dalton's healthy enough to be a backup, he will; if not, or even if they want the insurance, Plummer could be activated for the game and get a uniform for the first time since Buffalo in August.

Plummer got a ton of reps in the preseason when Dalton was getting the veteran's benefit of the doubt and dealing with some minor injuries, and Young wasn't playing.

And the first two games weren't ideal, as he was a combined 22-of-39 for 128 yards in his first two preseason games (and that 3.28 yards per attempt was pretty indicative of how those games went). Then he went to Buffalo, and everything changed.

In the third preseason game against the Bills, after Young led his only preseason drive for a touchdown, Plummer came in and lit it up. He was 21-of-29 that day for 278 yards and two touchdowns, evidence of progress no matter who it was coming against.

And then, nothing.

Plummer was released and signed back to the practice squad since the Panthers carried just two quarterbacks on the roster. So while Young and Dalton have been getting ready for games, he's been mostly working the scout team in practice, repping the other teams plays to give the Panthers defense a look at what they're working against.

"Yeah, I mean, I didn't run any Panthers plays really for the game plan stuff as a third-string guy," Plummer said with a shrug when asked about the last seven weeks. "The only reps I was getting were on the scout team and in the scout team meetings, and reading the cards and trying to get everyone organized to give us a good look. Yeah."

That changed Tuesday afternoon. He was walking back to his apartment when he got the call about Dalton's car accident. His first move was to call his friend and make sure he was OK, and thankfully he was. Then came the quick and obvious math and the recognition that his week was changing.

Plummer said he got some good two-minute work with the twos in Thursday, but most of his work prior to this week was of the mental variety, or those he finds in unscripted times.

Offensive coordinator Brad Idzik said that quarterbacks coach Will Harriger's responsible for keeping all the quarterbacks ready for cases such as this, but the nature of the role is that Plummer's work has to get wedged into the small spaces in between, and that's where offensive assistant Mike Bercovici comes in.

"Yeah, you've got to find a way to steal your reps," Idzik said. "So, Mike Bercovici does a great job after practice of going back through that script with Jack, and he'll take some of our younger players as well in the skill positions and making sure that they got to get some of that muscle memory, steal a couple of those full speed routes, but then also just talk through some of the plays while you're out on the field. Because we all know it's different when you're sitting in front of a TV screen versus you're on your feet, you've got the cleats on and a ball in your hand and you're kind of walking through those plays simulating practice.

"Mike's been doing that all year. We're really excited to, you know, continue that process, so just having guys ready. And it's not only Jack; it's some of our younger players who might not be getting the reps at tight end, running back, and receiver. He's got a nice little collection of guys, over there making sure that they're staying in tune."

Berco, as everyone calls him, was a former Arizona State quarterback who spent a couple of years on practice squads with the Chargers and Cardinals and got his most playing time in the AAF with the San Diego Fleet. So Plummer immediately forged a bond based on shared experiences and cherishes those moments between segments, on the sidelines, or after walk-throughs or practices.

"Berco was telling me to, he's literally been in my shoes, you know, less than 10 years ago, the undrafted third-string quarterback trying to fit in," Plummer said. "So he understands, and he's been helping me a ton of just learn how to be a pro."

One of those young guys out there trying to steal some extra work has been undrafted rookie receiver Jalen Coker (who has earned a bigger role of his own through normal means). Coker was out there a lot with Coker in the preseason — and caught a 36-yard touchdown from him in Buffalo — and said those little times in between when they steal those reps are critical.

"Especially like after practice is over, we definitely go through the script, try to get everything to where he's comfortable where I'm comfortable," Coker said. "It's really about timing, just kind of being in the right place whenever they're in their drop, expecting the ball at a certain time. So that's really what we're trying to do."

He also knows what it's like to get your chance through whatever means, and what you have to do to make the most of it.

"He's internally motivated; he's always in the playbook, constantly working on reads and checks and all that stuff. He's very detailed in what he does," Coker said. "He wants to get better. He loves getting better, and I do too. So that's why I'm out there with him. I mean, I feel like he always practices, and he plays like he's going to be playing that week. I feel like he's always very locked in."

Every week, that's because it's what a young player has to do to stay engaged. This week, it could be out of necessity.