After benching, Panthers’ Young remains positive and promises to ‘get better’

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Bryce Young admitted Thursday he was surprised when Carolina Panthers coach Dave Canales benched him in favor of veteran Andy Dalton for Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders.

“As a competitor, you don’t dream about what’s going to happen,” Young said in his first interview since the decision was made Monday. “It wasn’t something I necessarily expected. It wasn’t something that was great to hear, obviously.

“It’s up to me to put them in that situation.”

Young, who is 2-16 as a starter since the Panthers (0-2) made him the first overall pick in the 2023 draft, repeatedly took responsibility for the decision to bench him the day after Canales said Young would start against the Raiders.

He never admitted he was angry, although sources close to the situation said he initially was.

Young also avoided speculation about his future at Carolina, though Canales said Wednesday he still believes the former Alabama star could become a franchise quarterback in the NFL.

“I’m a day-to-day person,” Young said. “I’ve talked about that consistently. Big things, I have no control over that. Those are organizational things, for the people up there. I’m super grateful to be a part of the team, a part of our organization. I want to help in any way I can.”

A source close to Young said the quarterback is “open to anything,” including whether he wants to stay with the Panthers through the end of his rookie contract or be traded to another team.

Canales said Wednesday that trading Young is “not something we’re considering.”

Young has been leading the scout team the past two days. Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero said the 5-foot-10, 204-pound Young has done a great job in the role of Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew.

“When you have a player that can move, get moving, get in the pocket and make shots… he’s done a lot of good things against us in practice, and he definitely makes us better,” Evero said.

Young said his goal is to help the team in whatever way the staff sees fit.

When asked if he had enough time to prove himself after a rookie season that saw head coach Frank Reich fired after a 1-10 start and just two games into his second season under a first-year head coach, Young said that was for others to decide.

But he ultimately took responsibility for historically poor stats, including a 9.1 Total QBR this season, which is among the worst in league history for consecutive games.

“I had a lot of plays last year and in the first two games,” Young said. “Mostly every snap I got my hands on and I didn’t do enough. I take responsibility for that. There’s a long list of things I’d like to do better and I’m going to keep working and growing and improving and getting better.

“Everybody has circumstances. If I went there and played better and won games… and at the end of the day it came down to me and that didn’t happen… we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”