CHARLOTTE, NC — Carolina Panthers coach Dave Canales didn’t hesitate Wednesday when asked if Bryce Young still has a chance to be a franchise quarterback.
“Absolutely,” he said of Young, who was benched Monday after an 0-2 start this season and a 2-16 start to his professional career.
Canales also dismissed any possibility that the Panthers would consider trading the No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft, who has been replaced by 36-year-old Andy Dalton for Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
“That’s not something we’re really considering,” he said. “We have a great situation with our quarterbacks right now, with players who have experience.
“We love where we are and we’re all hands on deck.”
Carolina players also insisted they still believe in Young, 23.
“He’s definitely not done,” said running back Miles Sanders, who lost his starting job last season to Chuba Hubbard. “Definitely. He’s smart. He’s fast. He’s the first one in the stadium and the last one out. He’s definitely not done.”
“This is your home and you will have another chance.”
Veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen, who said after Sunday’s 26-3 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers that he loved Young and would fight for him, agreed.
“I’m really excited for his future,” he said. “Right now, watching him practice today, the pitches he was making, his confidence. You know he can do this at a high level.”
“Sometimes it’s not so bad to just take a step back and breathe.”
His teammates were also adamant that Young’s size (5-foot-9, 200 pounds), which was scrutinized before the draft, has not been a factor in his struggles. Young has three interceptions and no touchdowns through two games and a 9.1 total QBR that is among the worst ever over a two-game span.
“That hasn’t been a driving factor,” Thielen said of Young’s size. “It’s something that’s talked about way too much. He hasn’t had any injuries. There’s nothing you can say like, ‘Oh, if he was two inches taller, this would be different.’ That’s just click bait or a talking point.”
Young led the scout team for the first time on Wednesday, while Dalton took first-team reps. Canales liked what he saw.
“Back to work,” he said. “He dove into the game plan. We had our conversations in the QB room, talking about the reads, about what we see from the defense. Then he had a great day on the field, some fantastic throws.
“He went back to work immediately, which is exactly what I expected.”
Canales, however, sidestepped the question of whether the decision to bench Young the day after he insisted Young would start against the Raiders would destroy the quarterback’s confidence.
“My concern is the football team,” he said. “My concern is that we’re putting pressure on the whole group to achieve the level of play, the level of practice that we’re looking for. I wish I could respond differently, but that’s the way it is.”
Young did not speak to the media Wednesday but is scheduled to do so Thursday. Sources close to the situation said the former Heisman Trophy winner was not happy about being sidelined but was expected to publicly display nothing but professionalism.
According to ESPN Research, Young’s record is the worst through 18 games of any quarterback selected with the first pick in the Super Bowl era. Behind him are Trevor Lawrence (2021, Jaguars), Troy Aikman (1989, Cowboys), Bert Jones (1973, Colts) and Jack Thompson (1979, Bengals), all at 3-15.
Aikman became a three-time Super Bowl champion and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Canales made no predictions of greatness, but he did make clear that he had not lost faith in Young.
“This is a development-oriented program, so development didn’t stop,” he said. “Every rep he’s in, we evaluate everything, have conversations and keep pushing all of our guys, including Bryce, to take the next step.”
