Going Back In Time

By Mike Rifkin

March 10th 2023, a day Carolina Panthers fans will remember for a long time. It was the day the Panthers acquired the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft from the Chicago Bears and right now that trade gets worse and worse. The Panthers acquired the first overall pick for Receiver DJ Moore, 2023 first round pick (Darnell Wright – OT), 2023 second round pick (Tyrique Stevenson), 2024 first round pick (Caleb Williams), and a 2025 second round pick. With the first overall pick the Panthers selected Alabama QB Bryce Young. Reportedly there was a bit of a disagreement over Young, as owner David Tepper wanted Young, while then Head Coach Frank Reich wanted Ohio ST. QB CJ Stroud. Ultimately Tepper won out and the Panthers took Young, and Reich was fired after 11 games into his first season. 

The Panthers offense was at the bottom of most categories last season. Things were so bad that as a part of the trade they sent the Bears their first overall pick , which happened to be first overall again. This offseason the Panthers hired Bucs OC Dave Canales to help Bryce Young’s development. Well through two games things haven’t improved and now Bryce Young is getting benched for Andy Dalton. 

In Sunday’s 26-3 loss to the Chargers, Young threw for 84 yards, the fourth fewest in franchise history. Through two games Young has a 55.4 completion percentage, 231 yards, zero touchdowns and three interceptions, and has been sacked six times. Now, Dave Canales has announced that Young will be benched in favor of Andy Dalton. 

The Bears made out like bandits in this deal, not just based on what they acquired in the deal. But for this reason, the Panthers just said Bryce Young won’t be their starter in 2025, and potentially might never play for the organization again. Because you cannot bench him in favor of a guy like Andy Dalton, Dalton is a veteran who has been around, but if you had that little faith in Young then Dalton should’ve started from the beginning. But because the Panthers are going this route,one has to imagine the Panthers are back in the quarterback market in 2025. Unless Dalton sustains an injury the Panthers should even consider demoting Young to the emergency QB, because yo-yoing him will do nothing for his confidence. But one has to wonder would the Panthers make this deal again if they go back in time, or would they select Stroud like Frank Reich wanted?