Bryce Young‘s 2024 season did not start the way he or the Panthers wanted it to. He will remain atop Carolina’s quarterback depth chart for at least the rest of the season, though. 
Young was benched in favor of Andy Dalton in Week 3, a move which put his Panthers future in doubt. Quarterbacks who lose their starting gig shortly after arriving in the draft do not have a long history of reclaiming it and remaining with their original team. Dalton suffering a sprained thumb in a car accident moved Young back atop the depth chart by default in Week 8, though, and he has maintained the starter’s role since then.
Head coach Dave Canales had previously declined to declare Young the Panthers’ starter on a full-time basis despite keeping him in place each week. The first-time head coach changed his stance in that regard this week, however, confirming it will be last year’s No. 1 pick guiding the offense the rest of the way. The manner in which Young responded to his poor outing against the Cowboys in Week 15 played a part in that decision.
“Watching him in game was what was so impressive,” Canales said (video link via Alex Zietlow of the Charlotte Observer). “To see him just continue to stay in there, to have his footwork exactly where he needed to be to throw to No. 1 in progression and really still see the field… I’ve been around football for 15 years and see where games like that can really pile up on a guy. To watch him handle it and to be composed and to talk with his teammates and keep working with the issues, I thought was so impressive and I wanted to make sure he knew that.”
Young threw a pair of interceptions on Sunday and also lost two fumbles. On the whole, turnovers and sacks taken have again been an issue in 2024, but since returning to the lineup the 23-year-old has shown flashes of his potential. Especially with the Panthers sitting well outside the playoff hunt at 3-11, it comes as no surprise the team plans to keep Young in place to close out the season and in doing so give him additional opportunities to develop.
The Alabama product has not done enough before or after Canales’ arrival to cement himself as the Panthers’ uncontested franchise quarterback, but with his rookie contract running through 2026 (or 2027, if his fifth-year option comes into play) there is still ample time to change that. For the coming offseason, adding competition for the QB1 gig could be an option; at a minimum, re-signing Dalton (a pending free agent) or bringing in another experienced veteran will be required.
Recent signs have pointed to the Panthers turning their attention to positions other than quarterback at the top of this year’s draft. Carolina is on track for a high selection on Day 1, but the team may find itself out of range for Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward. Given the Panthers’ struggles on defense, adding on that side of the ball would be a reasonable approach during the first round. Plenty of time remains for a decision on that front to be made, and Young’s evaluation process will include three more games at the helm.
Why trade up and draft him #1 if you’re not going to play him?
On a side note, the college playoffs are boring blowouts. Hopefully the tournament gets better next weekend.
Might as well. You sold the farm to get him.
Young, Richardson, Williams, Lance, should all be converted to wide receivers. Young looks pitiful trying to throw passes. Richardson stunk up the Gators stadium before continuing the tradition in Indianapolis. Williams looks like a middle schooler trying to play Varsity. And Lance may never get another chance to play in the NFL. What’s the common denominator? The football “experts” said they were the best ever. Why not do your own research instead of listening to the “expert” analysts. Nobody is the second coming of Montana, or just looks like a young Elway, or blah, blah, blah. These teams get what they deserve for not doing their homework. At least these teams found out they stunk before paying them 50 million a year like Dumpshawn Watson.