After just 18 starts in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers, former No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young will now head to the bench in favor of veteran quarterback Andy Dalton. And according to reports, the decision was one that Young was seemingly not expecting to hear.
The move makes sense when you simply look at Young’s performance on the year to this point. In the first two games of the season, Young has thrown for zero touchdowns while turning the ball over three times and completing just 55 percent of his passes.
However, things get tricky with someone like Young, who the organization has invested a ton of resources in. Not only did the team select him with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. But they also traded up to do so, sacrificing D.J. Moore and numerous draft picks, including the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft that the Chicago Bears used to select Caleb Williams.
With that in mind, most assumed that despite the struggles on the field, the Panthers would likely give Young at least the 2024 NFL season to show that he belongs to be the starter for years to come. Instead, the move was made to bench Young for Dalton.
Panthers are benching former No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young, per sources.
Andy Dalton is Carolina’s new QB1. pic.twitter.com/HClZWCEqOM
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 16, 2024
Fans weren’t the only ones who were taken aback by the Panthers’ decision to bench Young. According to ESPN Panthers reporter David Newton, Young “didn’t see the decision coming”.
A league source told me Panthers’ quarterback Bryce Young didn’t see the decision by coach Dave Canales to bench him coming.
— David Newton (@DNewtonespn) September 16, 2024
At this point, it’s unclear whether the Panthers plan on having Dalton start for the remainder of the season. But after you move off someone like Young who had some big expectations, it’s quite hard to go back to him later on.
