Young, a player most teams considered the best QB in the 2023 draft, is 2-16 in his career as a starter – completing just 59 percent of his passes while throwing more interceptions than touchdowns. The Panthers’ offense seemed stagnant, reaching the league minimum with 245 passing yards after two games.
Young was praised for his ability to navigate the entire 2023 pre-draft process, among other skills that earned him the nickname “Top QB.” But that hasn’t translated to on-field performance in the NFL.
According to those who watched him closely, Young held the ball, was unwilling to play a pass forward and appeared to question decisions. To those who studied him in detail, Young appeared to be out of his depth.
That’s why stepping back and being a backup was the solution. The Panthers still believe Young can be the right guy. They still believe he can be the player they drafted him to be. But the path to becoming an established starter isn’t always straight. The NFL is full of examples of players who needed more than a minute to become real starters.
Examples of this in today’s NFL include Jordan Love, Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield, who began the 2022 season as a starter for Carolina before being released.
When a player as talented as Young is benched, teams always call about a possible transfer. Indeed, interest would be expected. But Canales said Wednesday that there are no plans to trade him: “It’s not something we’re really considering.”
Sources in the building say Young handled the demotion well. Of course he was disappointed and frustrated. But he got back to work, helping Dalton prepare and serving as quarterback on the scout team. Young was easy-going with the scout team, as they hope he will eventually do when he’s back on the field.
“Bryce has been great,” Dalton said. “It’s a tough situation for everyone. I have a different perspective because I’ve been through both sides. It’s tough, but you find the little things you can focus on to get better and you keep doing what you can.”
