The Carolina Panthers decided to bench quarterback Bryce Young, the former No. 1 overall pick, this week, and multiple NFL teams have already expressed interest in a potential trade, according to former Panthers beat writer Joe Person. While head coach Dave Canales recently stated that the team hadn’t considered trading the former Alabama star, the arrival of trade inquiries may prompt Carolina to explore that option.
This decision comes despite Canales’ previous public support for Young as the team’s starter, following the Panthers’ 0-2 start to the 2024 season. Young, a highly-rated quarterback prospect and the Panthers’ top pick in 2023, struggled through his first two games, completing just 55.4% of his passes with no touchdowns and three interceptions.
Young’s transition to the NFL has been challenging. In his rookie season, he recorded 11 touchdowns to 10 interceptions while playing behind one of the league’s weakest offensive lines. Despite his impressive college resume, he has posted one of the NFL’s lowest passer ratings since entering the league.
Carolina legend Steve Smith, commenting this offseason, noted, “I initially liked Bryce Young. But a smart player can look bad in a bad situation, and you’re only as good as the people around you.”
Selected first overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, Young was expected to be the Panthers’ franchise savior. In his final season at Alabama, he threw for 3,328 yards, 32 touchdowns, and five interceptions, despite missing time with a shoulder injury. He finished his college career with 8,356 passing yards and 80 touchdowns, ranking second all-time at Alabama in both categories.
Young was a five-star recruit from Mater Dei High School in California and the top prospect in the 2020 class, becoming the 42nd first-round pick from Nick Saban’s Alabama program.
