The Carolina Panthers came into the 2024 NFL season hoping that first-year coach Dave Canales could help quarterback Bryce Young improve after a brutal rookie season. Just seven games into the experience, it appears Canales and the Panthers organization might have seen enough.
Canales already benched Young once this season, removing him from the starting spot in early September with Andy Dalton taking over. After Dalton suffered a minor injury, Young reclaimed the Panthers starting quarterback job in Week 8.
- Bryce Young stats (ESPN): 32.7 ESPN QBR, 4-6 TD-INT, 60.1% completion rate, 820 pass yards, 5.4 yards per attempt, 66.9 QB rating
Young has played better since returning to the lineup. In his first three games this season, he posted a 48.6 QB rating with a 0-3 TD-INT line, a 55.56 percent completion rate and he averaged just 4.8 yards per attempt. In his last three games, though, Young has a 79.8 QB rating with a 4-3 TD-INT line, a 62.5 percent completion rate and he’s averaged 5.92 yards per attempt.
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The first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft is expected to remain the Panthers starting quarterback returning from the Week 11 bye. However, it does appear as if Canales and the Panthers organization has already made up their minds about Young.
According to Joseph Person of The Athletic, Canales might not be “sold” on Young as a franchise-caliber quarterback moving forward. While a quarterback change isn’t expected this season, Carolina could reportedly turn its focus to one of two quarterbacks next offseason.
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- Bryce Young contract (Spotrac): $8.626 million cap hit in 2024, $10.35 million cap hit in 2025, $12.076 million cap hit in 2026
The first is Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward. Turning 23 years old in May, the 6-foot-2 signal-caller has turned the Hurricanes into a playoff contender this season. He’s one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the nation and has had success with three different college programs.
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The other option mentioned is Justin Fields. While he opened the season as the Pittsburgh Steelers starting quarterback, he lost the job once Russell Wilson was healthy. Fields could be an option for Carolina in NFL free agency on a one-year prove-it deal that would allow him to be the Panthers starting quarterback in 2025. As for Young, the NFL rumors from earlier in the season about him being on the trade block are likely to resurface again this offseason ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft.