PANTHERS
Bryce Young benched: Who will replace the Panthers’ QB against the Raiders on Sunday?
The Panthers’ 2023 No. 1 overall pick didn’t have the best start to the season and has officially been benched ahead of their Week 3 game vs the Raiders.
The Carolina Panthers are off to a rough start to the 2024 season with two brutal beatings in the first two weeks. In Week 1, it was a 47-10 beatdown by the New Orleans Saints and in Week 2, a 26-3 embarrassment at home to the Los Angeles Chargers.
After watching back the film from their latest loss, Panthers head coach Dave Canales made the decision to bench starting quarterback Bryce Young.
Young’s NFL struggles
In 2023, the Panthers traded up eight spots in the NFL Draft to pick Young No. 1 overall. They traded wide receiver D.J. Moore to the Chicago Bears as well as four draft picks (one of which the Bears used to draft quarterback Caleb Williams). As a starter for the Panthers, Young is 2-16.
Through their first two games this season, Young completed just 31 of 56 passes for 244 yards and three interceptions and ran for their one touchdown of the season so far. His first throw of the season was an interception against the Saints. In Week 2, he was booed by the Panthers fans at home after a series of mishaps.
When Canales decided to bench Young, he was asked if he still had the support of the locker room, to which he responded, “that’s a loaded question”.
“Right now our focus is to make sure that we fix the film from yesterday and get ready for the Raiders,” said Canales.
Andy Dalton to start vs Raiders
With Young out, Andy Dalton will start at quarterback for the Panthers when they take on the Las Vegas Raiders this Sunday. Canales said he thinks Dalton “gives us the best chance to win”.
Canales didn’t say if Dalton would continue to start past Week 3 nor what exactly it was that led him to bench Young. “I don’t want to get into the specifics as those are private conversations,” he said. Whether or not Dalton continues to start for the Panthers may depend on his performance in Las Vegas this weekend.
Since joining the NFL with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2011, Dalton is 83-78-2 as a starting quarterback and has thrown 246 touchdown passes and 144 interceptions.