Bears - Panthers: 5 players to watch on NFL Thursday Night Football | Young, Bagent, Moore, Wright, Foreman

In March, the Chicago Bears traded the No. 1 overall pick to the Carolina Panthers, significantly impacting the 2023 NFL Draft. At the time, the Panthers expressed interest in multiple quarterbacks and ultimately selected Bryce Young from Alabama after careful consideration. Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud was another option, and he was chosen second overall by the Houston Texans. Halfway through their rookie season, Stroud has outperformed Young despite the Panthers beating the Texans in Week 8. Young is also coming off a poor performance, throwing three interceptions, including two pick-sixes, in a loss to the Colts last Sunday.

The Bears received a great deal in return for the pick that became Young, including several players who will play a significant role in Thursday’s game. Wide receiver DJ Moore, who is facing his former team, and right tackle Darnell Wright, who indirectly landed in Chicago through the March trade, have had impressive moments as rookie starters. Additionally, acquiring more picks allowed general manager Ryan Poles to acquire Montez Sweat, a pass rusher, at last week’s trade deadline.

Despite all this, the decision to trade the top pick to the Panthers will continue to benefit the Bears. Chicago will receive the Panthers’ first-round pick next year, which will move up the more games they lose. This motivates the Bears to win Thursday night, even if their pick slides down the draft order with each subsequent victory. Thanks to their trade with the Panthers, the Bears hold the No. 2 and No. 3 picks in the 2024 draft.

Bryce Young needs a quality performance. The Panthers may have drafted the wrong QB. Young’s worst game was on Sunday when he threw three interceptions, two of which were pick-sixes. The team struggles with pass protection and a lack of difference-making weapons. Young’s turnovers have come in bunches, with six of seven resulting in opponents’ scores. Although Young has shown improvement, the Panthers have often been forced to make short passes to move down the field. A rough game could result in Andy Dalton playing at some point.

Justin Fields is out for the upcoming Thursday Night Football game due to an injury. Tyson Bagent has been filling in for the last three games and has shown some impressive skills, but he has become turnover-prone, with six turnovers in his past two games. Carolina’s pass defense has been quite strong this season, allowing fewer than 180 yards per game.

Carolina and the Bears are dealing with notable injuries. The Panthers will be without Brian Burns (edge) and C.J. Henderson (CB) due to concussions, while the Bears have Vonn Bell (safety) and Xavier Woods (safety) questionable. The Panthers will also be missing Laviska Shenault Jr. (WR) and Stephen Sullivan (TE), while DJ Chark (WR) is doubtful. Losing Burns will hurt the most individually, but the Panthers’ pass defense might take a collective hit if several regular contributors can’t play. Adam Thielen (WR) should be busy, but the Panthers’ passing game might struggle with limited receiving options.

Both former Panthers players, DJ Moore and D’Onta Foreman, will face their former team as they take on the Bears. Despite the limited offensive weaponry of the Bears, two of their best options played for Carolina last season. Moore has been a valuable addition to Chicago, with almost 1,400 receiving yards this season. However, since his outstanding performance in Week 5, Moore has only managed to total 204 yards and no touchdowns on 20 catches in his last four games. The Panthers would undoubtedly like to restrain their former teammate, and cornerback Donte Jackson could be assigned to cover Moore. Foreman, who led the Panthers to a surprising late-season success in 2022, now anchors the Bears’ rushing attack. Expect the Bears to use Foreman to grind away at Carolina’s defense.