The Carolina Panthers won’t play star quarterback Bryce Young in the team’s preseason opener.
Following what is pretty standard operating procedure, Carolina will hold the 2023 No. 1 overall pick out of their first preseason game of the season against the New England Patriots this Thursday.
ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter reported the news of Young’s status.
Panthers said QB Bryce Young will not play in their preseason opener.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 6, 2024
Starters not playing at the beginning of preseason isn’t an uncommon practice. Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams notably didn’t play in last week’s Hall of Fame Game against the Houston Texans. Even though a nationwide audience could tune in, and even amid intrigue on the rookie quarterback, the Bears still didn’t budge.
Young was Carolina’s first overall pick in last year’s NFL Draft. The Panthers owned the top pick in each of the last two drafts after owning the league’s worst record in back-to-back seasons. However, after the trade with the Bears that sent them up in 2023, Chicago owned the rights to this year’s first overall pick.
Young struggled in his first season in Carolina. In his defense, he didn’t have much to work with. The team hopes that Year 2 will go differently on a much more positive note.
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Chris Novak has been talking and writing about sports ever since he can remember. Previously, Novak wrote for and managed sites in the SB Nation network for nearly a decade from 2013-2022