The Panthers traded up and drafted Alabama’s Bryce Young No. 1 overall with the intention that he would be the team’s new starter at quarterback. Yet during organized team activities, head coach Frank Reich had presumed backup Andy Dalton running with the starters. According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, this isn’t necessarily indicative of the true depth chart but more a practice in efficiency. 
Of course, as a coach, you prefer not to hand Young the starting job on a silver platter. You’d rather he “earn” the job by performing better than the other quarterbacks on the depth chart. But expecting a rookie to be better prepared for an entirely new system, when veterans have mostly been at the facilities for five weeks now, is unrealistic.
As a head coach new to his team, Reich is intent on establishing his operation at an optimal, functional level. This early into Young’s tenure, he’s just not prepared enough to run the Panthers’ system to the level that Dalton can. Does this mean that Dalton would forever run with the first string? Likely, not. But until Young is up to speed and ready to efficiently run with the ones, having Dalton behind center has been the best way to implement Reich’s operation. In fact, a week after Breer’s report, David Newton of ESPN reported that, while Dalton is still taking the first snaps with the first team, Young is getting more overall snaps with the first string, indicating the progress that we expect from the top overall draft pick.
The system that’s being implemented is designed for Young, anyway. According to a different report from Newton, Reich is allowing new, first-time NFL offensive coordinator Thomas Brown to design a spread-formation system that meshes some of what Brown learned under Sean McVay in Los Angeles and what Reich ran with the Colts. Brown is building the offense with Young in mind, claiming that he doesn’t want to take away Young’s “superpower.”
Lastly, with Dalton and Young likely cemented in the first two slots of the depth chart, there were rumblings that last year’s third-round pick, Matt Corral, was on the trading block, and perhaps that he wanted to go. The most recent reports from this week, according to Panthers staff writer Darin Gantt, indicate that Corral no longer desires an exit. Corral “made it clear (to the media that) he doesn’t want to be traded,” listing playing for Reich as a major reason for staying.
Jags played the same stunt w/ Lawrence. That didn’t work out. You traded up for him, give the guy the reps. Not hard to figure out.
Some fans would argue that there was no chance of anything working out with Urban Meyer as HC.
I agree with that. But let your starters practice w/ the 1st team. How many games do you think Dalton would start (less injury) 2-3? Wasted motion for practice.
Did you miss the part where it said Young is getting more snaps with the 1st string despite not “starting”?
Make the kid earn it. At least by learning the plays/system.
On one hand everyone jumps on rookies for being entitled pr!cks and on the other hand they themselves are too impatient to wait until a kid learns the damned playbook to hand him the starting job…
Earn what? Andy has won 2 division titles & in his mid 30’s. Would you sign Andy and then trade up for a QB only to have the rookie ‘earn it’? A 7 year fan old knows who is starting, so why the childish games? That’s what losing teams do.
Andy was brought in to help mentor Young, not challenge for playing time. Everyone in the organization, including Andy, knows that.
We aren’t even talking about preseason yet… I am QUITE certain that Dalton knows the playbook better.
You can have Young out there week 1, not stunt his development, AND make him earn it all at the same time.
As the article states, isn’t doesn’t even need to be a “take the job from Dalton” — just a “show up as prepared as a seasoned veteran.”
Now, if we fast forward to Week 1 and Dalton is starting (and Young looked ready to roll) then you have an argument, but nothing Reich is saying is indicating that is the plan…
Exactly how would Andy know a playbook better that he’s never learned before? Non-stop all offseason, was Young is brilliant at learning systems. Why should it change now? Isn’t that why they traded up to draft him?
…because he got it 7 weeks earlier? Because he’s a 12 year veteran known for his professionalism & being a good mentor and teacher? Because he has been learning NFL offenses since Bryce Young was learning his multiplication tables?
Never thought I’d see the day when someone would have me defending Andy friggin Dalton. Congrats.
Maybe but you also don’t wanna get the guy killed back there either if he does t know what he’s doing. Let dalton be cannon fodder for a bit while your rookie learns. It’s not like Carolina will be competing for anything in 23 anyways.
Carolina, by everything I’ve read, has a solid OL, & running game. Peyton said once ‘the best way to get better is playing time…’. Hard to argue.
It is always worth taking a chance, but you have to be willing to accept it might not work out.
The Dolphins took a lot of heat for allowing Tua to get concussed last season so that might be influencing the Panthers decision to be cautious with Young.
Corral has no prayer of seeing game action any time soon but he wants to stay and be the #3 because of…the coach?