Table of Contents
By Joe Person, Lukas Weese and Larry Holder
The Carolina Panthers are benching 2023 No. 1 pick Bryce Young for their Week 3 game against the Las Vegas Raiders, a league source confirmed Monday. Andy Dalton will be the Panthers’ new starting quarterback, the league source said.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero was the first to report the news.
The move comes after the Panthers’ second straight loss to open the season, falling 26-3 to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday. Young completed 18 of 26 passes, but those completions were good for just 84 yards, the fourth-lowest passing total in franchise history for a quarterback with at least 25 pass attempts.
On Monday, Panthers coach Dave Canales said he decided to bench Young after reviewing film of Sunday’s loss. He said he spoke with several personnel decision makers about how to proceed. Canales declined to comment on what role Panthers owner David Tepper had in the decision to bench Young.
“Ultimately, this comes down to me,” Canales said. “My number one responsibility is to help the Panthers win. This move puts us in the best position to do that this week.”
Canales’ words differed from what he said onstage after Sunday’s game, when he said, “Bryce is our quarterback.”
Dalton is in his 14th NFL season and has been a three-time Pro Bowler.
“I’m really looking forward to it,” Dalton said. “I’m excited about what’s coming. It’s a tough situation. I’ve been on both sides of it. It’s tough on everybody.”
In two games, the Panthers scored a total of 13 points. Carolina will be looking to avoid a second straight 0-3 start when it faces the Raiders in Las Vegas on Sunday.
Dave Canales won’t say what role David Tepper played in the decision on Bryce Young. photo.twitter.com/NR92UujGe4
— Joe Person (@josephperson) September 16, 2024
Why now?
As Young struggled through a rookie season that saw him finish as the NFL’s worst-graded passer, the Panthers devoted much of their free-agent budget and offseason energy to improving the offensive line and giving Young more playmakers. Despite improved protection, Young regressed through the first two games with no passing touchdowns, three interceptions and 245 combined passing yards.
Canales risked losing the locker room and the fans if he stuck with Young. During Sunday’s loss to the Chargers, fans booed Young, some wearing bags over their heads and others chanting encouragement for Tepper to sell the team. — Joe Person, Panthers reporter
What does Dalton bring?
For starters, an experienced presence who should be able to get Canales and the first-year offensive staff in order. Dalton, 36, started for the Panthers in Week 3 last year in Seattle when Young was sidelined for one game with an ankle injury.
Dalton threw for 361 yards (34 of 58), which was the Panthers’ 2023 high in terms of passing yardage. If anything, bringing in Dalton gives Young a chance to catch his breath, see how a veteran quarterback performs in Canales’ scheme and perhaps regain some confidence. — Person
Figures behind Dalton’s move to QB1
You’d think Young would have bottomed out after Week 1, but his performance in Week 2 was even worse. Young produced the worst EPA per dropback rate of his career, per TruMedia, at -0.69. For the season, Young ranks last in the league in EPA per dropback rate at -0.44 and passer rating at 44.1.
It gets worse.
Young ranks last (99 qualified quarterbacks) in total QB EPA of -143.1 and EPA per dropback of -0.24 among quarterbacks in their first 18 starts since 2000.
Dalton at least gives the Panthers a chance on offense. He last started for the Saints in 2022 and posted a respectable 0.02 EPA per dropback ratio to go along with a 95.2 passer rating. But the Saints went just 6-8 with Dalton as QB1 at quarterback. — Larry Holder, NFL Senior Writer
Required reading
(Photo: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
