Bryce Young

Panthers Never Wanted To Trade Bryce Young, Noncommittal On Future

November 8th, 2024 at 5:45pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Panthers general manager Dan Morgan insisted that the team never intended to trade Bryce Young after his benching in a press conference on Wednesday, but remained noncommittal about his future as a franchise quarterback.

“We never got into any discussions. I never opened that door,” Morgan said. “Didn’t want to trade Bryce, still don’t and committed to working with him and helping him grow and helping him develop.”

Morgan hinted that the Panthers did receive calls inquiring about Young, but never entertained any offers.

“Teams call and they poke around and not just about any specific players, it’s just players on your roster and they’re real general conversations and I’ll kind of leave those conversations for another day,” Morgan said.

Trade speculation around Young stirred after his Week 3 benching, though he has started the Panthers’ last two games after Andy Dalton was injured in a car accident. However, every report out of Carolina indicated that the Panthers had no intention of dealing their former No. 1 overall pick, which Morgan confirmed on Wednesday.

Morgan did not commit to Young as the Panthers’ franchise quarterback when directly asked.

“We’re excited to work with him and keep working with him in the future,” Morgan said. “At the end of the day, we’ll have those conversations once the season ends and, we’ll see where we’re at.”

Young has two years remaining on his rookie contract, with an additional fifth-year option that the Panthers can pick up after the 2025 season. In the meantime, the Panthers are projected for the fourth overall pick in the 2025 draft, which they could use to find an alternate option to Young.

Some Panthers Players Unavailable In Trade Market

November 3rd, 2024 at 10:22pm CST by Ely Allen

The Panthers are tied with six other teams at the bottom of the NFL with a 2-7 record, solidifying them as sellers at this year’s fast-approaching trade deadline. While it seems like no pieces would be off-limits in what has been a multi-year rebuild, the media has been reporting otherwise.

Mosty notably, we continue to hear that second-year quarterback Bryce Young is not available in the trade market. Young was benched in Week 3 of the season, leading to several rumors that the former No. 1 overall pick could be available for a potential trade. Though Carolina denied such rumors, plenty of teams called the Panthers inquiring about obtaining the 23-year-old. Diana Russini of The Athletic’s latest report confirms the Panthers’ position that they are “not considering moving the quarterback.”

Young was forced back into the starting lineup last week as Andy Dalton dealt with a thumb injury, and though Carolina lost the contest, the coaching staff was reportedly “encouraged by his improvements and overall commitment to the team.” Young started today, as well, and though his numbers didn’t jump off the stat sheet, he delivered a win to keep the team out of the divisional basement. Russini asserts that, even if the Panthers ultimately do trade Young, they’d get better value for him in the offseason.

While Russini doesn’t believe Young is available in a trade, she does note running back Miles Sanders and edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney as names to look for. This notion was challenged by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, who claimed that Clowney was “more likely than not” staying in Carolina. Clowney had a resurgent 9.5-sack 2023 season with the Ravens but has only been able to amass one sack so far this year in Carolina. He under contract for next year, as well, which makes him more attractive as a trade option who would stick around for more than just the next nine weeks, but Rapoport is under the impression that he remains with the Panthers.

In addition to Young and Clowney, Peter Schrager of FOX Sports reported this morning that he’s been hearing that cornerback Jaycee Horn and running back Chuba Hubbard are also not likely to be moved. Horn has had trouble staying on the field in his first three years, but he’s been healthy in 2024, and the Panthers picked up his fifth-year option for next year, as well. Hubbard is playing in a contract year after a breakout season, so it’d make sense to move him, but like Young, Clowney, and Horn, it appears that he’ll be finishing out the year in Carolina.

Teams Inquiring On Panthers’ Jaycee Horn, Chuba Hubbard; Carolina Unlikely To Trade Bryce Young

October 29th, 2024 at 4:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Panthers dealt Diontae Johnson to the Ravens earlier Tuesday, concluding the receiver’s short stay in Charlotte. Carolina had been expected to trade Johnson and should be considered likely to make more moves after a 1-7 start.

Teams are calling on two of the Panthers’ top players. Jaycee Horn and Chuba Hubbard are generating interest, according to Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz. Hubbard has been mentioned as a player the Panthers are unlikely to trade, and Schultz adds the team is not planning to move the contract-year running back or Horn. The latter has come up at past trade deadlines but is signed through 2025.

While the Panthers are being classified as a team not set to conduct a fire sale, they are in danger of finishing with the NFL’s worst record for a second straight season. Only Carolina and Tennessee reside as one-win teams exiting Week 8. Unlike last season, however, the Panthers have the carrot of holding their first-round pick in 2025 — as opposed to the Bears doing so this year. The opportunity to either add the draft’s best player or its best quarterback — depending on what happens with Bryce Young — would appeal to a Panthers team with no playoff aspirations.

Dealing away more pieces would certainly strengthen Carolina’s chance of securing the No. 1 overall pick, though the team has not needed any such boost thus far. The Panthers have lost five straight, with each of their seven losses coming by double digits. More pieces are all but certain to go, but it does look like Carolina will either stop short of dealing Horn and Hubbard or set a high price on each.

Horn’s name came up in the wake of the October 2022 Matt Rhule firing, but the then-Scott Fitterer-run team did not appear to enter serious talks. The No. 8 overall pick in 2021 has also lost some value due to the significant foot and hamstring injuries. The latter issue kept Horn out of trade talks in 2023. Current GM Dan Morgan worked under Fitterer for much of the GM’s time in Charlotte but was not on staff when the cornerback was selected; Morgan returned to the Panthers just after the 2021 draft.

The Panthers picked up Horn’s fifth-year option, which calls for a $12.47MM fully guaranteed salary in 2025. That number checked in roughly $7MM south of 2021’s No. 9 overall pick, Patrick Surtain. The latter has become one of the NFL’s best defensive players; before extending him this offseason, the Broncos asked for two first-rounders to begin a trade conversation. Although Horn has shown flashes, it would certainly not take that much to pry him from Carolina. Pro Football Focus, however, ranks Horn 27th among corners this season. While the Panthers have dealt Christian McCaffrey, D.J. Moore, Brian Burns and now Johnson, they look to view Horn as a building-block player alongside Derrick Brown on defense.

Hubbard may not qualify as such on offense, but it should not be considered a certainty the former Rhule-era fourth-rounder leaves in free agency. The team has seen Hubbard take over as its starting back. While Miles Sanders is a trade chip, Hubbard would likely be prioritized to help second-round rookie Jonathon Brooks ease into action. Brooks is coming off an ACL tear sustained in November 2023. While he may well be the Panthers’ starter in 2025, the Texas product is unlikely to see a big workload once he comes off the reserve/PUP list this season.

As for Young’s status, the Panthers remain unlikely to move him before the Nov. 5 deadline, The Athletic’s Joe Person notes (subscription required). The optics of giving up Young for a haul potentially headlined by Day 3 picks would bring more negative publicity to a team that has endured plenty of it under owner David Tepper. Young also may be given a runway to bounce back during this season’s second half, especially as Andy Dalton battles a thumb sprain sustained in a car accident last week.

The Panthers would have the opportunity to trade Young in 2025 — a scenario that loomed as likely upon the team benching him before Week 3 — but have seen at least four teams call about the former Heisman winner. Young does not yet have enough snaps to qualify, but his 19.3 QBR would rank last this season.

Bryce Young Has Opportunity To Show Growth

October 27th, 2024 at 12:46pm CST by Ely Allen

The Panthers are starting Bryce Young at quarterback for the first time since Week 2 of this still young season. While the opportunity comes as a result of an injury to his replacement, Andy Dalton, this is still an important opportunity for the former No. 1 overall pick to show that he’s been making the most of his time on the sideline.

Dalton finds himself doubtful to play this Sunday after spraining his thumb in a car accident this week. The veteran, who will turn 37 in two days, hasn’t entered a season as a team’s starting quarterback since his final year in Cincinnati in 2019. Since then, he’s played extensive backup duty in Dallas, Chicago, New Orleans, and Carolina, starting at least one game each season.

In five starts since taking over as the starter for Young, Dalton has shown both good and bad. In his first start of the year, the Red Rifle delivered a 300-yard, three touchdown performance to earn Carolina’s only win of the season. Since then, Dalton has failed to pass 221 passing yards while throwing four touchdowns to six interceptions.

Young has seen game action twice since getting benched, getting garbage time minutes at the end of blowout losses. The rest of his time has been spent watching, learning, and playing quarterback on the scout team at practices. In a league that has normalized playing first-round quarterbacks immediately as rookies, this should be a valuable opportunity for Young to sit and develop in a way that used to be the norm in the NFL.

This Sunday, Young will be able to show whether or not his time on the bench has been beneficial. Not only that, but Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports that, should Young show significant improvement this weekend, “there is a real chance for him to continue starting.” Since getting benched, Young has reportedly been “engaged and involved,” which is exactly the reaction you want from a young top draft pick. Today’s performance in Denver could lay the ground for the remainder of Young’s sophomore campaign and, perhaps, for the rest of his career.

More Davante Adams Fallout: Carr, Raiders, Rodgers, Jets, Young

October 25th, 2024 at 1:55pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

After engineering a trade to the Raiders in 2022, Davante Adams‘ relationship with the team deteriorated after the benching of Derek Carr, eventually leading to Adams’ trade request and departure to the Jets.

His frustration stemmed from the Raiders’ lack of a long-term plan at quarterback after moving on from Carr, Adams’ college teammate at Fresno State, in favor of Jarrett Stidham during the 2022 season. Las Vegas released Carr and let Stidham walk in free agency during the offseason in favor of an expensive and injured Jimmy Garoppolo, despite interest from then-leadership duo of head coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler in trading up for Bryce Young.

Adams expressed some doubt about the decision to sign Garoppolo, per ESPN’s Rich Cimini and Paul Gutierrez, the first sign of his discontent. He played through three starting quarterback changes and the midseason firing of McDaniels to record his fourth 1,000-yard season in a row in 2023 and endorsed interim head coach Antonio Pierce for the Raiders’ full-time gig. Adams then wanted to upgrade to a younger quarterback with a higher ceiling during the offseason, but was frustrated once again when new general manager Tom Telesco signed Gardner Minshew instead. With seemingly no long-term vision for the team’s most important position, the 31-year-old Adams sought greener pastures and officially requested a trade from the Raiders.

The Raiders were aware of their star receiver’s frustration, but they were still shocked by the timing of the trade. The team believed that Adams’ hamstring was healthy enough to play in Week 5, but rather than declare himself ready to play, Adams told Pierce and Telesco that he wanted a trade.
Once Adams identified teams he’d rather play for, the Raiders knew the writing was on the wall and prepared for a short- and long-term future without the All-Pro wideout. It was clear that Adams’ hamstring injury would keep him on the sidelines until he was in a new uniform, so Las Vegas considered him as good as gone before trade talks even picked up.
Pierce said that there was “nothing to talk about” in regards to Adams’ sideline rants aired in Netflix’s “Receiver” documentary series, but his receiver’s profanity-laden outbursts drew plenty of attention around the league, especially since Adams allowed his comments to air. Adams had to be talked out of permitting even more critical vents about the team, indicating that his displeasure behind the scenes was even greater than what was showed publicly.
Talks between the Jets and Raiders commenced at the beginning of September, with negotiations gaining steam ahead of the Jets’ visit to London in Week 5. With Adams zeroed in on a reunion with Aaron Rodgers, his eventual arrival in New York was only a matter of time.
Raiders owner Mark Davis had previously expressed the desire to pair Adams with the franchise’s next long-term quarterback, but he admitted that the trade was a difficult, but necessary decision. “I’ve grown up in this sport,” said Davis, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. “There is the business side of the building and the football side of the building. The football side is tough love, man.”

Panthers Not Expected To Move Chuba Hubbard; Latest On Team’s Trade Plans

October 24th, 2024 at 8:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

While little has gone right for this season’s Panthers, they have seen their starting running back deliver. Chuba Hubbard is on pace for his first 1,000-yard season, and the effort is set to finish in Charlotte.

As the Panthers prepare for Jonathon Brooks‘ debut, that is not expected to influence their plans with Hubbard. Carolina is not expected to trade the contract-year running back, ESPN.com’s David Newton notes. Hubbard ranks fifth in the NFL in rushing yardage (537), averaging 5.2 per tote. He has impressed since taking over for Miles Sanders last season. Sanders is indeed a trade candidate.

This offseason brought some notable running back paydays, bringing optimism compared to a bleak 2023 at the position. Hubbard, 25, would stand to benefit after showing good form on bad teams. The Panthers made changes along their offensive line, paying up for guards Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis, and Hubbard has benefited. Hubbard did gain 902 yards last season, when he started 12 games despite Sanders fetching the top RB contract on the 2023 market, but averaged 3.8 per carry. Next Gen Stats did slot Hubbard in the top 20 in terms of rushing yards over expected, however.

The Panthers prioritized upgrades in the run game this offseason, showing it by trading up to No. 46 for Brooks. The Texas product, this year’s first RB drafted, needing an extended runway to return after a November 2023 ACL tear worked to Hubbard’s advantage. Among first-time free agents, Hubbard will join Najee Harris, Javonte Williams and Khalil Herbert on next year’s market. Veterans will be available as well, but the Oklahoma State alum should still generate interest.

As Hubbard is set to work in tandem with Brooks soon, the Panthers are likely ready to part with some veterans. In addition to Sanders, the Panthers are likely open to moving Jonathan Mingo, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler adds. The 2023 second-round pick has not justified his draft slot, and a new Panthers regime (though, Dan Morgan was assistant GM when Mingo was drafted) added Diontae Johnson and Xavier Legette this offseason.

Despite making five starts and Andy Dalton boosting the passing game after Bryce Young‘s benching, Mingo has just 12 receptions for 121 yards. The Panthers have seen Johnson generate interest, but the ex-Steeler said (via Newton) he does not want to be dealt.

Dave Canales also said he does not envision a Johnson trade commencing, though a good offer for the shifty route runner could obviously change the organization’s plans. Morgan and Co. will need to weigh offers against what level of compensatory pick Johnson could generate. A comp pick would not arrive until 2026, and the Panthers could look to re-sign Johnson before he hits free agency. Extension talks are not believed to have started, however.

Teams asked about Young following his September benching, but the Panthers shot down those inquiries. Still, rumblings in the wake of the benching pointed to the team being ready to move on from the No. 1 overall pick in 2025. If Young is not in Carolina’s post-2024 plans, and ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes he still does not appear to be, the team could look to explore a move now.

Dalton’s thumb sprain sustained in a car accident — which is set to throw Young back into the lineup — could throw a wrench into such plans, but given where the Panthers are in their rebuild, short-term matters would not stand to interfere with bigger-picture goals. Still, it would represent a historically quick ending for a No. 1 pick if Carolina were to move Young before the Nov. 5 deadline.

Panthers To Start Bryce Young In Week 8

October 23rd, 2024 at 2:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

Andy Dalton was involved in a car accident Tuesday. While the Carolina starter did not need to be hospitalized, Dave Canales confirmed the veteran passer sustained a thumb sprain. Dalton is not expected to play against the Broncos in Week 8.

This will push Bryce Young back into action; Canales said the former No. 1 overall pick will be at the controls in Denver. Canales hopes Dalton can return as the backup, potentially pointing to a Young path back to the full-time QB1 role even when the more experienced passer is healthy. Regardless of how this will shake out, Young is coming back after five games on the bench.

Traveling with his wife, three kids and their dog, Dalton suffered the thumb injury in the accident — which occurred a few minutes away from Bank of America Stadium, David Newton of ESPN.com notes. Neither Dalton nor his family needed to be hospitalized as a result of the wreck, but the sprain involving the QB’s throwing thumb poses a problem for his availability. Dalton did not practice Wednesday.

Rumors suggesting the Panthers were done with Young circulated following his Week 3 benching. The 5-foot-10 QB struggled mightily to start his second season, marking no notable improvement from a rough rookie year. Canales had initially said Young would be back to start in Week 3, but upon closer inspection (and conversations with ownership), the new Carolina HC benched the player the franchise mortgaged its future for in 2023. Young has seen action since, and as the losses pile up (following a Dalton-led win over the Raiders), it makes sense for the 1-6 team to give the unproven player more time.

At least four teams contacted the Panthers about Young, but the team is not interested in trading the former Heisman winner. That said, rumblings about a separation in 2025 emerged soon after the benching, as Young was “pissed” about being pulled 18 starts into his career. The Panthers’ party line pointed to Young receiving another chance in 2024, labeling the benching a reset. But a report that came out soon after Canales’ call did not depict the demotion that way, with Dalton being viewed as the starter unless an injury intervened.

Dalton’s minor injury does give the Panthers another chance to look at Young. Carolina’s offense has fared better under Dalton, as Young’s most recent start featured 84 passing yards on 26 attempts. He went 13 of 30 in Week 1. While Deshaun Watson‘s QBR (23.5) ranks last among qualified options, Young holds a 10.4 number. Young’s 34.1 mark ranked ahead of only Zach Wilson in 2023, leading the Panthers — who made some shaky decisions in terms of weaponry around their new QB last year — to add several pieces this offseason. Dalton ranks 17th in QBR this season.

Despite Diontae Johnson and Xavier Legette joining Adam Thielen at receiver and Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis coming in as high-priced guards, Young struggled to the point veterans complained about the state of the offense. That produced a strikingly quick hook, but Young’s second chance will begin soon. Denver’s defense has powered its operation this season, representing a tough spot for Young. Vance Joseph‘s unit ranks third in points and yards allowed.

NFC South Notes: Panthers, Saints, Dennis

October 6th, 2024 at 10:11pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Bryce Young may have entered the game in place of Andy Dalton during the Panthers‘ Week 5 loss to the Bears, but head coach Dave Canales told media that Dalton would remain the team’s starting quarterback moving forward.

Canales explained that the quarterback change was more about limiting Dalton’s exposure behind an injured Carolina offensive line than it was about giving Young another opportunity to earn the starting gig, according to Joe Person of The Athletic. The Panthers lost starting center Austin Corbett and starting right tackle Taylor Moton to injuries during Sunday’s loss, forcing Canales to prioritize Dalton’s health with Carolina trailing by four possessions.

“We had a couple of injuries on the offensive line and wanting to get [Young] in there, get some live reps,” Canales said. “It was something where I wanted to get Andy out of there and just give Bryce an opportunity to continue some football in there while we had time.”

Canales confirmed that Dalton would start for the Panthers in Week 6, though it’s worth noting that he made a similar declaration about Young’s job safety after the former No. 1 overall pick struggled in Week 2 against the Chargers. Canales declined to offer any insight on the Panthers’ long-term plans for Young, and though his history as a quarterback-friendly coach suggests he could still get the best out of his young signal-caller, rumblings about a 2025 trade have surfaced. The Panthers rebuffed four trade inquiries already.

Here is the latest from the NFC South:

The Saints ruled tight end Taysom Hill out of their Monday night matchup with the Chiefs due to a rib injury. Hill missed the Saints’ Week 3 matchup against the Eagles with a chest injury, but returned to full practice participation the following week. He then sustained fractured ribs against the Falcons in Week 4, sidelining him for Week 5 and potentially beyond. Dennis Allen (via ESPN.com’s Katherine Terrell) declined to say how may ribs Hill fractured. Foster Moreau and Juwan Johnson will take on a bigger role in New Orleans’ offense with Hill sidelined, but his versatility will be difficult for offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak to replace. He may have to take some Hill-focused plays out of his playbook entirely with his unique offensive weapon absent from the lineup.
The Saints‘ offense stunned the NFL with its explosive start to the year, dropping 91 points on their first two opponents before cooling off in Weeks 3 and 4. Head coach Dennis Allen worked with Kubiak to simplify the offense for Derek Carr after years of complexity became ingrained in New Orleans’ system under Sean Payton and Drew Brees. Carr is making fewer adjustments at the line of scrimmage, while Kubiak has dialed up play action at a league-leading frequency.
Second-year Buccaneers linebacker SirVocea Dennis is not expected to return from injured reserve anytime soon, per Greg Auman of The Athletic. Dennis injured his shoulder over the summer but played in Tampa Bay’s first three games before leaving in Week 4 after aggravating the issue. The Buccaneers placed Dennis on IR on October 1, sidelining him through at least Week 8. Tampa Bay has relied on K.J. Britt to take on Dennis’ vacated snaps after the duo began the year splitting time on the field alongside veteran Lavonte David.
The Falcons restructured the contract of veteran defensive tackle David Onyemata recently, per ESPN’s Field Yates, creating $4.85MM of cap space. Onyemata remains tied to the three-year, $35MM deal he signed in March 2023. This update balloons the DT’s 2025 cap number to $16.93MM. For 2024, however, Atlanta now has just under $10MM in cap space, ranking 20th in the NFL.

David Tepper Signed Off On Benching Bryce Young

October 4th, 2024 at 10:12pm CST by Ely Allen

So much transpired to land quarterback Bryce Young in Carolina last year. A Panthers team that had struggled to find consistency at quarterback after the departure of Cam Newton decided to shy away from signing more free agents like Teddy Bridgewater, Sam Darnold, and Baker Mayfield and draft and develop a passer. They took an opportunity to trade with Chicago into the top spot and made the decision on who would lead their offense in the coming years.

With hindsight being 20/20, it’s easy for outsiders to speculate on the decision-making that led Carolina to take Young instead of C.J. Stroud, who has looked much more accomplished and successful in his first 23 weeks of football (including last year’s playoffs). While it seems crystal-clear at this point who the right decision was, as Young sits on the bench with a 2-16 record as a starter and Stroud continues to start with a 12-7 record, Adam Jahns and Joe Person of The Athletic report that there was very little doubt when the decision was being made.

Team owner David Tepper‘s comments over time have made it clear that Young was the unanimous choice over Stroud with the No. 1 overall pick last year. While there was certainly some intrigue around Stroud, and some argued that the S2 cognitive test — a test that Stroud performed poorly on but Young nearly perfected — was weighted too much, the decision was still a clear one.

General manager at the time, Scott Fitterer reportedly met with then-head coach Frank Reich and the scouting staff shortly after Reich’s hiring. Fitterer went around the table and posed a question to the scouts: if they traded up for the top pick, which quarterback would they choose? All of the scouts chose Young.

Fastforward to today: Young sits on the bench, his opportunities to improve “limited to QB meetings, individual drills, and his snaps running the scout-team offense against the first-team defense.” The leash was short on Young to start the season, but with Carolina scoring only 13 points while giving up 73 in the first two weeks, it was clear a change was necessary, and Tepper signed off on the demotion.

The immediate improvement was obvious. 204 passing yards in the first two weeks was improved to 526 when Andy Dalton took over the offense. With the passing game working, the run game took off, too, improving from 148 yards in the first two contests to 286 in the next two. The team has decreased turnovers by the offense from four under Young to only one under Dalton, and after only scoring 13 points before the change, the Panthers have put a combined 60 on the scoreboard since.

There are still sentiments that Young will be able to return to a starting role at some point, perhaps even this year. For now, though, he’ll get the opportunity that he didn’t get his rookie season to sit behind a seasoned veteran and learn. It’s Dalton’s offense for now, but Young can take this time to develop and earn his way back into the lofty expectations that came with his selection as the first overall pick in 2023.

Four Teams Inquired On Panthers QB Bryce Young

September 29th, 2024 at 12:48pm CST by Rory Parks

We heard last week that the Panthers were receiving trade inquiries on second-year quarterback Bryce Young in the wake of the club’s decision to bench Young in favor of veteran Andy Dalton. Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer added more context to the situation, reporting that four teams reached out to gauge Carolina’s interest in dealing Young (video link).

Glazer says that the Panthers emphatically told those clubs that they were not moving last year’s No. 1 overall pick, and that they still see a future for Young in Charlotte. Naturally, the team does not want to undermine its already limited leverage in potential trade negotiations by publicly expressing any uncertainty about Young’s long-term viability, but it is at least notable that they are taking this stance for the time being.

Multiple outlets have suggested that the Panthers intend to turn back to Young at some point this season, and Glazer reiterates that the club does believe that allowing Young to reset and to learn from Dalton will aid in his development. That said, Glazer stopped short of confirming that Young would play again in 2024, noting that would be dependent on how Young performs in practice.

Of course, Young’s immediate future will also be impacted at least to some degree by Dalton’s performance. The longtime Bengal and recent journeyman thrived in his first start in 2024, piloting Carolina to a blowout win over the Raiders in Week 3 while completing over 70% of his passes for 319 yards and three scores. Obviously, the soon-to-be 37-year old is a bridge option at this point, but if he keeps the Panthers in playoff contention, it would be surprising to see the team reinsert Young in 2024.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter recently pegged the upcoming offseason as the most likely time for a trade to be consummated, and Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported that the Panthers-Young relationship is indeed expected to come to an end in 2025. Trade rumors are nonetheless likely to continue swirling until the November 5 deadline, and at some point in the near future, the Panthers will be put to a potentially franchise-altering decision regarding the player they staked so much on just one year ago.

For his part, Young is said to be open to a trade sending him out of Carolina, though he is also amenable to remaining with the Panthers.

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