Panthers may need to rethink Bryce Young trade stance, for his sake

In 2023, the Carolina Panthers traded away every talented player on their roster, then asked an undersized rookie quarterback to lead them to glory. Unsurprisingly, it proved to be a losing recipe. Two games into the 2024 season, the organization is beginning to face reality.

The Panthers benched second-year quarterback Bryce Young just 18 games after selecting him with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. With veteran Andy Dalton expected to start in Week 3, the team's long-term future at the quarterback position is suddenly in doubt.

Carolina traded away a significant amount of talent and resources to acquire the No. 1 overall pick to draft Young. In return, the Chicago Bears received wide receiver D.J. Moore and a slew of draft picks that turned into quarterback Caleb Williams, tight end Darnell Wright and cornerback Tyrique Stevenson. Chicago still has possession of Carolina's 2025 second-round pick as well, and the Panthers likely wouldn't even be able to get that pick back in exchange for Young.

Through two losses this season, Young has completed 31-of-56 pass attempts for 245 yards, no passing touchdowns and three interceptions. He scored Carolina's lone touchdown on a 3-yard run while trailing the New Orleans Saints by 34 points in the third quarter of the season opener.

Panthers should strongly consider trading Bryce Young

Several teams have contacted Carolina about trading for Young, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Panthers head coach Dave Canales shut down the idea of trading Young, but sources around the league believe "it is only a matter of time" before Carolina moves on, Schefter reported.

The Panthers have compiled a 2-16 record with Young, the worst through 18 games for any quarterback selected with the top pick in the Super Bowl era, per ESPN Research. All hope isn't lost for Young just yet. Troy Aikman began his career with just three wins through 18 games before going on to win three Super Bowl championships. Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence began with three wins before a coaching change helped his career.

There are plenty of examples of former first-round quarterbacks who have found success with new teams after being discarded by dysfunctional organizations. Geno Smith and Sam Darnold are both thriving with the Seattle Seahawks and Minnesota Vikings, respectively, after a disastrous start to their career with the New York Jets.

Young just won't find success with the Panthers, who traded away running back Christian McCaffrey and have nothing to show for it. Carolina attempted to rebuild their offense through the draft by selecting wide receiver Xavier Legette and running back Jonathan Brooks with their first two picks, but it was too little, too late.

The best organizations are able to admit when they've made a mistake. Even the Arizona Cardinals traded away quarterback Josh Rosen in 2019, just one year after drafting him in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Justin Fields, Mac Jones and Zach Wilson — all former first-round picks from the 2021 NFL Draft — were traded this offseason. So far, it seems that those three quarterbacks are all in a better place for their development. Their former teams seem happier too. Chicago replaced Fields with Caleb Williams, the New England Patriots replaced Jones with rookie Drake Maye, and the Jets are thriving with Aaron Rodgers.

Young isn't the right fit for Carolina's current roster, and it would be wise for them to salvage whatever possible while they still can. The sooner Young can move on to a new team, the better it will be for his development. As for the Panthers, it would be wise to invest in an offensive line and supporting cast before drafting another first-round quarterback.