Despite losing the first two games last season, new HC Dave Canales made one thing clear– “Bryce (Young) is our quarterback.” But just 22 hours in, the 23-year-old first overall pick was benched in favor of veteran Andy Dalton because for Canales, “My number one responsibility is to help the Panthers win, and so this move I believe puts us in the best chance to do that.” The Carolina Panthers were a mess, having been outscored 73-13 across losses to the Saints and Chargers. Their offense looked static with Young completely unraveling – Zero TDs, three interceptions, 6 sacks and a career-low 84 yards in Week 2. The pressure was unrelenting.
Him finishing the 2024 campaign as Carolina’s undisputed QB1 would’ve sounded like wishful thinking. But despite whispers of “His ti