Just two weeks into the 2024 season, the Carolina Panthers are making a major change.
According to multiple reports, new head Dave Canales is making a change at quarterback. In the wake of a 26-3 loss to the visiting Los Angeles Chargers, starting quarterback and former first-overall selection Bryce Young is headed to the bench. In his place will be veteran quarterback Andy Dalton.
Through two weeks of the season, Young and the Panthers’ offense have struggled to get anything going on that side of the ball. In Carolina’s Week 1 loss to the New Orleans Saints — a game the Panthers lost by a score of 47-10 — Young completed 13-of-30 passes for 161 yards and a pair of interceptions.
Sunday against the Chargers Young hit on 18-of-26 passes for just 84 yards and an interception. Over two games this season Young has a QBR of just 8.9, and over those two contests his “Quarterback Efficiency” — as defined by RBSDM as a combination of his Expected Points Added per Dropback and his Completion Percentage Over Expected — has him at the bottom of the league:
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Perhaps leading to Canales’ decision? While Young was sacked four times in Week 1, Carolina largely handled pass protection well against the Chargers on Sunday:
Bryce Young was pressured on just 4 of 29 dropbacks in Week 2, the lowest rate of any starting QB.
— Jacob Gibbs (@jagibbs_23) September 16, 2024
The news prompted reaction around the NFL media world:
You don’t bench your former first overall pick two games into his second season unless:
1) You’re sure you’re going to be moving on from him after the season
2) You think the locker room is going to lose faith in you if you don’t make the change.Just a brutal outcome.
— Bill Barnwell (@billbarnwell) September 16, 2024
Legit impressed by Canales. Most coaches would stay too pot committed to the first overall pick. This is unquestionably the right move — Young just does not have the tools to be a starting NFL quarterback.
Next step: find some mark to trade you a semi-decent pick for Young. https://t.co/C5y74OjJnw
— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) September 16, 2024
Nothing short of horrific that we’re here this early but Carolina didn’t have another choice. One thing you can’t do is bs the players. Anyone watching the games knows this isn’t credible football out there. Imagine how the other guys on the field feel. https://t.co/mOuz2fDYWn
— Matt Harmon (@MattHarmon_BYB) September 16, 2024
Whether this precludes a return to the starting lineup for Young remains to be seen, but this is a shocking move after just two games in 2024.
And it may very well spell the end of his time in Carolina.
