What benching Bryce Young for Andy Dalton means for the Panthers

After a 2-16 start to his NFL career, the Carolina Panthers are replacing quarterback Bryce Young with Andy Dalton for Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders (4:05 p.m. ET, CBS).

That makes Young the first quarterback selected first overall in the draft era (since 1967) to be benched for reasons unrelated to injury.

The Panthers traded with the Chicago Bears for the 2023 No. 1 overall pick to draft Young, who is 0-2 this season. His Total QBR this season (8.9) is the third-worst over a two-game stretch since ESPN began using the metric in 2011.

The Panthers have been outscored 73-13 through the first two weeks, with their only touchdown coming on a Young scramble that was initially ruled a fumble. The 60-point differential is the worst by a team through the first two games since 2019.

Carolina’s offensive efficiency rating (.70) through two games ranks dead last out of 608 times measured in Weeks 1 and 2 since records began in 2006. Additionally, they have converted two of 22 third-down opportunities, the worst in the NFL.

The list goes on, but ultimately the Panthers believe Dalton gives them a better chance to win after making improvements at the skill positions and offensive line this offseason to help Young.

ESPN Panthers reporter David Newton, Saints reporter Katherine Terrell, NFL draft analyst Jordan Reid, NFL national reporter Jeremy Fowler, and NFL analysts Aaron Schatz and Seth Walder discuss what led to the move and what it means for the future.

Why was it not sustainable to keep Young as a starter?

Receiver Adam Thielen, who was visibly upset on the sideline Sunday after Young was sacked on a third-down play when Thielen was wide open, said after the 26-3 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers that “this is not a Bryce Young problem.” He went out of his way to say how much he loved Young and would fight for him. That was the mood among the players in the locker room.

Coach Dave Canales appeared to be in no hurry to make a change after the game. When asked who would start against the Raiders on Sunday, he said, “Bryce Young is our quarterback.”

So Young hasn’t lost the locker room. What he has done is lose two games by a combined 60 points and fail to throw a touchdown pass, never looking comfortable leading the offense and continuing to make poor decisions. And he failed to take charge of Canales’ quarterback-friendly scheme that has helped turn around Baker Mayfield (Tampa Bay), Geno Smith (Seattle) and Russell Wilson (Seattle) in the past.

Canales knew that benching Young would send a negative message to the locker room. He also knew that not benching Young would not give the Panthers a realistic chance to win. –Newton

How bad were the Panthers at the start of the season?

The Panthers have been historically bad to start the 2024 season, according to my DVOA ratings. They have the ninth-worst overall DVOA of 1,397 teams since 1979 through Week 2, going back to 1979. The offense is even worse, ranking as the seventh-worst offense of all teams through Week 2. It’s not just Young who has been terrible, as the Panthers are dead last in pass DVOA and 31st in rush DVOA, ahead of only this week’s opponent, the Raiders.

Historically, the Panthers’ season can’t be written off entirely. Mostly written off, certainly. But the second-worst offense ever through Week 2 belonged to the 1989 Steelers. That team lost its first two games by a combined 92-10, but then rallied to finish the season at 9-7 and make the playoffs. (The worst offense ever through Week 2 belonged to the 2002 Texans, and they were terrible all season.)

Another interesting comparison would be the 2001 Washington team, which had the fifth-worst offense ever through Week 2. That team benched quarterback Jeff George and went with Tony Banks after two games, then rebounded to finish the year at 8-8. Of course, there’s a big difference between benching a 34-year-old veteran and benching last year’s No. 1 overall draft pick.

Other teams that ranked among the worst offenses ever through Week 2 included the 2019 Dolphins, 2006 Raiders, 2013 Jaguars and 1999 Browns. — Treasure

What options does Carolina have going forward?

The only option is clear: hope for the best for Dalton and give Young time to reset behind the scenes for an eventual (albeit far-fetched) rebirth.

The only upside to benching Young so early is that they could get back to him, and this move kind of saves him from himself after two terrible weeks. But most people around the league I spoke to were at least mildly surprised by the move — especially since Carolina is considered one of the NFL’s most talent-starved teams. People inside the Panthers building are surprised. They knew Young’s play would eventually land him on the bench if it didn’t improve, but two weeks is a quick hook.

A veteran NFL executive had a different take on the matter. “They had to bench the guy,” he said. “The offense wasn’t working.”

Canales will rely on the experience and craftiness of Dalton, whose 50.9 career win percentage plays a big role here. I’ve noticed several times that Dalton pushed Young well in practice — always mentioned after praising Young’s growth. I didn’t take that as a cue to put Dalton on my Week 3 bingo card.

“Maybe (Canales) thought he was beyond repair,” said an AFC executive. “There’s not much patience and development left in our league. You play early and have to perform quickly.” –Fowler-

What can we expect from Andy Dalton?

Dalton has a relentless positive attitude and a calm demeanor. He never gets too high or too low, and the Panthers need that right now with so much going wrong.

While Dalton is no longer a full-time starter, he has started 30 games for four different teams since losing his starting job with the Cincinnati Bengals after the 2019 season. He has experience in nearly every situation, and when the Panthers play in Germany on Nov. 10, Dalton could make his fourth start in an international game.

The Saints brought him in as a replacement for Jameis Winston in 2022 and were so pleased with his play that they kept him as a regular starter that season after Winston was injured early in the season.

Dalton may not be the type of quarterback who can improve the play of his teammates on offense. He is usually only as good as the supporting cast around him. But Dalton certainly won’t make things worse.

It’s been a while since Dalton had his best seasons in Cincinnati, but there’s a reason teams have consistently picked him as a starter in recent years. He knows how to lead a struggling team and he’ll limit mistakes to help them get some wins. — Terrell

Who could Carolina select as QB in the 2025 draft?

The Panthers currently have perhaps the worst roster in the NFL. Outside of defensive end Derrick Brown, who is out for the season with a knee injury, there aren’t many foundational pieces to build on. So what’s in store for 2025?

If the Panthers decide to move on from Young, they could take another signal-caller at the top of the draft, given that they own their first-round pick in 2025. Georgia’s Carson Beck is currently the highest-ranked passer in the 2025 class, while Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders and Texas’ Quinn Ewers are also viable options near the top. Miami’s Cam Ward is a wildcard to keep an eye on, as his fast start has already catapulted him up the draft boards.

That said, the 2025 QB crop isn’t nearly as strong as 2024, when a record six passers were drafted in the first 12 picks. So perhaps the Panthers decide to go in a different direction with their first-round choice.

If Carolina decides to wait to draft a QB, the focus could shift to adding an offensive or defensive playmaker. Colorado WR/CB Travis Hunter, Tennessee edge James Pearce Jr. or Georgia edge Mykel Williams could all provide an immediate boost. The Panthers could also consider trading back with a team that wants one of the top QBs. That would allow them to acquire more draft capital or future 2025 picks to bolster a roster currently devoid of top young talent. –Reid

Do the Panthers have a chance to get back into the race for the NFC South?

I highly doubt it. Yes, Young was a big problem. But through (almost) two weeks of the season, this team also ranked 30th in EPA per play allowed on defense, 24th in pass block win rate, and 28th in run block win rate. Those are all areas that have little to do with quarterback play and will likely continue to be issues after the quarterback change. Their best player on defense, Brown, is on the injured list and out for the season.

I think Carolina definitely improves its offense with the quarterback move, but the idea that Dalton — who has a QBR of 48 since the start of 2021 — goes into a downward spiral is this team and turn it into a division title contender seems far-fetched. After all, the Panthers have a 2.0% chance of making the playoffs and a 0.4% chance of winning the NFC South. –Walder