Let’s be clear: the Carolina Panthers have a Bryce Young problem, not a quarterback problem.
After another miserable performance from the former first-overall pick in Week 2, backup Andy Dalton earned the start in Week 3. The 36-year-old delivered for new head coach Dave Canales during Carolina’s 36-22 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, throwing for 319 yards and three touchdowns.
It was Dalton’s first three-touchdown game in two years, who did most of his damage in the first half. On the first drive of the game, Dalton threw his first touchdown pass, something Young hasn’t done since Week 15 of last season. While it was a triumphant return for the “Red Rifle,” it only heaped more misery on Young’s struggles, with the video breaking down Carolina’s win and what it means for the young passer.
There’s still plenty of time for Young to turn it around, as we’ve seen with other former first-overall quarterbacks like Baker Mayfield, but Young’s poor play is in a category of its own. His 2-16 record as a starter is partly due to Carolina’s lackluster roster, but he hasn’t done anything to prove the team should commit to rebuilding around him.
In his rookie season, the 23-year-old completed under 60 percent of his passes, totaling 2,877 passing yards across 16 games while throwing for 11 touchdowns against 10 interceptions. Compared to the rest of the league’s passers in 2023, Young’s stats ranked near the bottom of his peers.
He finished 20th in passing yards and ranked 28th in touchdown passes among starting quarterbacks, both concerning for his long-term future. His completion percentage was no better, as he was the only signal-caller in the league to play more than 10 games and not complete more than 60% of his passes.
In the two games that Young suited up in this season, he somehow looked worse with his completion percentage down and his turnover rate up. On his first play of the year, Young threw a brutal interception, completely mistiming a throw to wide receiver Adam Thielen.
It is a tough pill to swallow for Panthers coach Dave Canales — credited with reviving Mayfield’s career — to give up on Young only two games into the season. Considering the off-field circumstances surrounding Young, it makes the whole situation worse.
Carolina surrendered a massive trade package to the Chicago Bears to get Young, including receiver D.J. Moore and the first overall pick used on quarterback Caleb Williams. The Panthers also drafted Young over second-overall pick C.J. Stroud, who blossomed into one of the league’s best signal-callers with the Houston Texans.
Perhaps the writing on the wall about Young eventually losing the starting job could be seen as early as a year ago. During Week 3 last year, Dalton made his only appearance of the season, throwing for two touchdowns and 361 passing yards. Carolina pivoted back to Young for the rest of the year, and we know how that went. After Dalton’s performance against the Raiders, it’s hard to see the Panthers giving the reigns back to Young, despite their high hopes for him and how much they’ve invested in his development.
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