Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young had a very rough rookie season last year, and 2024 hasn’t been any kinder to him so far.
Through two games, he has completed just 31 of 56 pass attempts and has thrown three interceptions without any touchdown passes as the Panthers have started 0-2.
On Monday, it was announced that Young will be benched in favor of veteran Andy Dalton when the Panthers head west to take on the Las Vegas Raiders.
Former MVP and Super Bowl-winning quarterback Kurt Warner said on the “The Jim Rome Show” that he feels it may not be a bad thing for Young to get benched and get an opportunity to learn from the sidelines.
.@kurt13warner on the Panthers decision to bench Bryce Young just two weeks into his second season. pic.twitter.com/BGSeZQ54lS
— Jim Rome (@jimrome) September 16, 2024
There are still plenty of people who feel rookie quarterbacks shouldn’t start under any circumstances, but clearly Carolina felt Young needed to play last year in order to develop.
But now, it is clear Young needs to go back to the drawing board, at least for now.
Dalton, 36, has experience with 14 years at the position, and years ago, he made the Pro Bowl three times as a member of the Cincinnati Bengals.
It’s not like the Panthers are completely devoid of viable skill players — wide receiver Adam Thielen and Dointae Johnson are capable of making plays, and backup running back Miles Sanders was a Pro Bowler in 2022.
If they continue to struggle mightily, the good news is that they will have their own first-round pick in the 2025 draft, as opposed to this year, when their first-rounder went to the Chicago Bears as part of the trade that brought them the pick that became Young.
That 2024 first-rounder turned into Caleb Williams, the No. 1 player chosen overall.
