The Carolina Panthers made one of the more shocking moves of the NFL season so far this week, benching former No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young. Young has struggled to maintain any consistency early in his career so Carolina decided that enough was enough.
More news: Shocking Bryce Young Stat Shows Panthers May Have Made Mistake Drafting Him
This move came as a surprise to many, even Young himself. He opened up about the decision catching him off guard.
“As a competitor, obviously not how you dream of what’s going to happen,” Young said Thursday. “It wasn’t something I necessarily was expecting. Obviously, it was not something that was great to hear.”
With this move, Carolina is turning to veteran starting quarterback Andy Dalton. The team is hoping that Dalton can right the ship from what has been a disastrous two weeks of the new year.
But what would the future hold for Young in Carolina? Multiple experts weighed in and there were some conflicting reports.
According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, Young will indeed be back with the Panthers to start. This move was merely to give him time off to reflect on everything.
“But the belief is Young will be back, sources say, and when he is, this time off the field will benefit him. While Canales did not detail when Young might play again or how long Dalton will start, sources say this is viewed as a timeout for Young, not a season-long benching. A time to take a deep breath, let it all slow down, de-stress, and learn by watching.”
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – SEPTEMBER 15: Quarterback Bryce Young #9 of the Carolina Panthers reacts during the second half of the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Bank of America Stadium on September 15, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Young’s time with the Panthers hasn’t gone too well.
Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
However, on the other aisle of this situation, NFL insider Dianna Russini of The Athletic is reporting that Young’s time with the team may indeed be over.
“Things are bad in Carolina right now. After just two games in a new offensive system with a new head coach, the Panthers made a bold decision and pulled the plug on 2023 No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young. It’s over. No matter what Carolina says, rest assured: It’s over. This isn’t an experiment. This isn’t a Ross and Rachel break. This is Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston over.”
No matter what happens, Young will need to be better if given another chance. He has gone 2-17 in his first 19 starts, a number that doesn’t seem real for a former first-overall pick.
We don’t know the future for Young with the Panthers or even in the NFL as a starter. But he is still only 23 years old so there is plenty of time for him to learn from his mistakes and grow to be at the level everyone expected from him coming out of college.
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