In the eyes of many, the Carolina Panthers’ decision to bench former No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young signifies that the team is likely done give him many opportunities. But in the eyes of legendary quarterback Michael Vick, this decision by the Panthers will actually benefit his career in the long run.
The decision was made by Panthers brasses on Monday to sit Young in favor of veteran quarterback Andy Dalton for the team’s Week 3 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders.
On paper, the move makes sense considering how poorly Young has played in his rookie season. In two games, he has thrown for zero touchdowns while turning the ball over three times and completing just 55 percent of his passes.
But things get tricky when you consider the sheer amount of assets that the organization has invested in Young, famously trading up with the Chicago Bears to select him first overall in the 2023 NFL Draft.
In the eyes of Vick, this decision can actually benefit Young if he focuses on the right things while he watches Dalton from the sidelines.
“Bryce right now has to hit the reset button,” said Vick during an appearance on the Up & Adams Show. It’s good for him that he gets to play the back seat. He gets to be the No. 2 and gets to watch Andy. Little pressure off of him. He’s still a 22-23 year old kid. And the NFL is not easy.
“You look at guys like Sam Darnold who had to bounce around. Through those times, you mature and you grow and you learn so much along the way. It allows you to get better. I’ll say this on your show Kay, I’m not writing Bryce Young off. I’m not writing him off.”
4x Pro Bowl QB @MichaelVick on it being a good thing for Bryce Young to sit behind Andy Dalton…
“I’m NOT writing Bryce Young off.” @heykayadams @Panthers @foxsports #KeepPounding pic.twitter.com/8kV38Sajeh
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) September 18, 2024
Vick does raise some good points. There have been plenty of guys like Darnold among countless others that have failed in their first stop in the NFL and went on to have success elsewhere.
Young’s time starting in Carolina may be done for now. But it may be a bit of an overreaction to say that his career as a starter is over.
