Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young’s NFL career isn’t off to the start he envisioned. After a brutal rookie season and an offseason coaching change, Young’s second year isn’t progressing any better. After two ugly losses to the Saints and Chargers, head coach Dave Canales announced on Monday that Young will be benched in favor of veteran backup Andy Dalton while the Panthers search for answers on offense.
After the news dropped, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James took to social media to send an encouraging message to Young,
“Bryce Young hold ya head Young 🤴🏾!! Rooting for you and know this ain’t on you! Continue to put the work in and it shall prevail! 🙏🏾🫡👑,” James wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
The move came as no surprise after the Panthers offense appeared hapless through the first two games, both of which ended in blowout losses. Through two games, Carolina has scored just 13 points and Young’s numbers are less than flattering. The former Heisman Trophy winner is just 31-for-56 with 245 yards with no touchdowns and three interceptions. He’s struggling to find anything open down the field and the Panthers’ offense is suffering as a result.
The switch into a new offensive system under Canales, after spending most of his rookie season under the tutelage of Frank Reich (who was fired after 11 games), has not been a smooth one for Young.
It remains to be seen whether this move is the end of the Bryce Young era in Carolina or if it’s just a break to give the rookie some time to sit down, learn from Dalton and try to get some confidence back. There has been some buzz about other teams with dire quarterback situations possibly offering Carolina a draft pick to see if they can repair the former No. 1 overall pick, but Carolina seems set on hanging onto him for now.
