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Bryce Young's Panthers Career Will End With Sunday's Start

Getting back into the Carolina Panthers starting lineup is actually terrible news for Bryce Young's future with the team.

By Jason Schandl

Oct 20, 2024; Landover, Maryland, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) looks on from the sidelines during the second half against the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images
Oct 20, 2024; Landover, Maryland, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) looks on from the sidelines during the second half against the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images / Amber Searls-Imagn Images
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Bryce Young will return to the Carolina Panthers' starting lineup in Week 8, but not because the team wants him to. Thanks to a sprained thumb suffered in a car accident, Andy Dalton will be sidelined while Young makes his first start since his shocking benching in Week 3.

This is not a triumphant return to action for Young, however. This is more likely to be his swan song in Carolina.

Bryce Young is Doomed in Week 8

Young opened the season by going a combined 31 of 56 for 245 yards with 0 touchdowns to 3 interceptions. That earned him a passer rating of 44.1. In other words, he was about as bad as possible in matchups against the New Olreans Saints and Los Angeles Chargers.

Now with almost a half season behind us, we have an idea of the kind of competition he was facing in those games. and it was not good. The Chargers rank No. 14 in PFF's defensive grade this year, while hte Saints are way down at 28th.

So with that in mind, how does he stand any chance against the Denver Broncos? Led by star corner Patrick Surtain II, Denver is PFF's No. 2 ranked defense, with the top grade in coverage and No. 7 grade in pass rush. The Broncos are holding opposing passers to a league-worst 4.6 net yards per pass attempt, while nobody else in the NFL is forcing a mark below 5.0.

Making things worse, Young isn't going to be getting any help. Diontae Johnson isn't practicing and could miss the game with a rib injury. Adam Thielen is limited too. Xavier Legette, Jonathan Mingo and David Moore isn't exactly the kind of trio that will bail him out.

Now I'll admit, nobody is expecting Young to thrive here. The matchup is a complete nightmare, and even a good quarterback could struggle here. But that's also not going to be enough of an excuse.

Dalton will be back soon, and that means our most recent memory of Young when he's back on the bench will be whatever kind of a horrific performance he struggles through against Denver. With that taste lingering, is Dave Canales really going to find it any easier to reverse his strange benching decision?

Will the offseason arrive and suddenly the Panthers get faith that Young will turn things around?

Absolutely not. It's a lot harder to sell your fanbase on a resurgence from a guy who finishes with, say, 0 touchdowns and 6 interceptions on the year than it is with someone who finished with 0 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. Assuming Dalton returns in Week 9, expect this Sunday's game to be the last time Young ever starts a game for the Panthers.

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