Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young entered the NFL with a lengthy history of injuries in college. After making just two starts, the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft is now poised to miss time.
During Monday’s loss to the New Orleans Saints, Young suffered an ankle injury. He popped up on the NFL injury report for Week 3, missing multiple days of practice. Carolina quickly indicated that its starting quarterback could miss the upcoming game against the Seattle Seahawks. Now, the absence could stretch even longer.
- Bryce Young stats 2023: 59.2% completion rate, 2-2 TD-INT, 6 sacks, 66.6 QB rating, 299 passing yards
Related: Week 3 fantasy rankings
According to Joseph Person of The Athletic, Young could miss two games due to his ankle injury. Carolina wants to play things very cautiously with its franchise quarterback and because veteran Andy Dalton is behind him, the coaching staff feels comfortable making a temporary change.
It will buy time for Young’s ankle to heal more, ensuring that he’ll have more of his mobility when he returns to the field. A multi-game absence would also mean exposing Young to fewer hits behind one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL.
Entering Week 3, Carolina ranks 28th in Pro Football Focus’ Pass Blocking Efficiency (79.0). Through two contests this season, Carolina has allowed 31 pressures (seventh-most in NFL), 21 hurries (eighth-most) and three sacks.
Related: NFL expert picks Week 3
The absence of pass protection and the Panthers’ receiving corps have resulted in one of the worst offenses in the league. Heading into Sunday, Carolina ranks last in passing yards per game (133) and is tied for 30th in scoring (13.5 PPG).
- Bryce Young contract: $6.9 million cap hit (2023), $8.626 million cap hit (2024), $10.351 million cap hit (2025), $12.076 million cap hit (2026), 2027 fifth-year team option (fully guaranteed)
Already slated to miss Sunday’s game against the Seahawks, a second consecutive absence would mean Young doesn’t play in Week 4 against the Minnesota Vikings. While the Panthers have a Week 7 bye, Young is expected to return well before that.
During his absence, it’s possible Carolina’s offense will improve. Last season with the New Orleans Saints, Dalton posted an 18-9 TD-INT ratio with a 95.2 quarterback rating and a 66.7 completion rate in 14 games.