Bryce Young’s surprising reaction to getting benched proves Panthers right for once

The Carolina Panthers stunned the NFL world by benching quarterback Bryce Young. Even the 2023 No. 1 overall pick himself was astounded -- and not in a good way.

Intel ($) from ESPN's Jeremy Fowler says Young wasn't only "shocked by the decision but also upset ... '[and] he's pissed.'"

Well, that doesn't sound menacing regarding Young's future in Carolina (not). Especially when considering "fiery" isn't typically a personality trait that comes to mind when discussing the signal-caller, as Fowler notes.

Nonetheless, Young being ostensibly blindsided and offended by Carolina's choice to start veteran journeyman Andy Dalton in Week 3 (and possibly beyond) highlights the problem. Perhaps the Panthers made the right call by letting the 23-year-old get time to recalibrate, albeit they pulled the rug out from under him.

Bryce Young’s surprisingly poor reaction to getting benched proves the Panthers were right for once

Rolling with Dalton over Young "goes beyond the poor play through two games," per Fowler. "The Panthers saw a tentative quarterback whose confidence was clearly affected." 

Young's pass-catchers have been "growing frustrated" in turn. Naturally, that has begun to cause a chain reaction, unsettling the locker room. So, Fowler said the Panthers "weighed" whether they exercise patience for the ex-Alabama passer's "confidence to return." 

Ultimately, Carolina deemed Dalton "simply the better option at this stage" to avoid potentially "losing the team." After all, the franchise is "invested" in first-year head coach Dave Canales and his staff. With that in mind, the Panthers viewed operating in the players' best interests as "crucial," hence the switch under center.

However, this won't be the last we hear of the continuously developing saga between Young and the Panthers. Fowler doesn't believe Carolina has any "plans to trade him right now," though that's subject to change.

"Benchings rarely result in healthy second chances at that spot, but [Young] now commands the role of developmental quarterback," Fowler states.

Currently unraveling in real-time, it's a messy situation for all parties involved. Canales wasn't at the helm when Young got selected by the Panthers. Meanwhile, the latter's status is an elite prospect and Carolina's organizational centerpiece is obviously in question from this point forward (if it wasn't already).

Despite everything, the Panthers may be onto something by letting Young ride the pine.