Pat McAfee believes that Bryce Young still has the potential to revive his career, despite being benched by the Carolina Panthers in favor of Andy Dalton ahead of Week 3. The Panthers are making this switch after Young’s disappointing start, which has left his record at 0-2 since entering the NFL.
With this benching, Young has made history as the first quarterback selected first overall in the common draft era to be sidelined for reasons other than injury. The Panthers, who traded with the Chicago Bears to secure the 2023 No. 1 overall pick and draft Young, have struggled mightily this season, being outscored 73-13 in the first two weeks. This poor performance has been highlighted by their offensive inefficiency, with a Total QBR of 8.9, which ranks among the worst since ESPN started tracking this metric.
Panthers players, including receiver Adam Thielen, have expressed support for Young, emphasizing that the issues faced by the team are not solely his fault. While Coach Dave Canales previously stated that Young was still the starter, he ultimately decided to make a change, acknowledging that better performance was needed for the team to have a realistic chance of winning.
Statistically, the Panthers’ start to the 2024 season has been one of the worst in NFL history, as indicated by their low DVOA ratings. They rank poorly for both passing and rushing statistics, leading to questions about whether the season is salvageable. Historical comparisons show that while the season is not fully beyond hope, the team’s performance has raised significant concerns.
Moving forward, the Panthers hope that Dalton, with his experience, can stabilize the offense while Young takes time to regroup. Although Dalton may not be a game-changing quarterback, his steady presence could help the team improve and potentially lead to wins.
In light of the team’s predicament, discussions have begun about the Panthers’ future, particularly the possibility of selecting another quarterback in the 2025 draft. They currently hold their first-round pick for that year and could target quarterbacks like Carson Beck, Shedeur Sanders, or Quinn Ewers, among others. However, they may also consider other positions to strengthen the roster that has struggled to perform.
Despite the quarterback switch, analysts believe that the Panthers still face significant challenges. The team’s issues extend beyond quarterback play, with poor performance in various aspects of the game, including defense and blocking. As Carolina continues its search for improvement, their chances of making a serious playoff run appear slim.