By Joe Person, Lukas Weese and Larry Holder
The Carolina Panthers are benching 2023 No. 1 pick Bryce Young for their Week 3 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders, a league source confirmed Monday. Andy Dalton will be the new starting quarterback for the Panthers, per the league source.
Tom Pelissero of NFL Network was first to report the news.
This move happens after the Panthers’ second straight blowout loss to open the season, falling 26-3 to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday. Young completed 18 of 26 passes but those completions went for just 84 yards, the fourth-lowest passing total in franchise history for a quarterback with at least 25 pass attempts.
On Monday, Panthers coach Dave Canales said he decided to bench Young after watching the film of Sunday’s loss. He said he met with various personnel decision makers on how to proceed. Canales declined to answer what role Panthers owner David Tepper had in the decision to bench Young.
“Ultimately this comes on me,” Canales said. “My number one responsibility is to help the Panthers win. This move puts us in the best position to do that this week.”
Canales’ words differed from what he said at the podium after Sunday’s game, when he said, “Bryce is our quarterback.”
Dalton is in his 14th NFL season and is a three-time Pro Bowler.
“I’m really looking forward to it,” Dalton said. “I’m excited about what’s ahead. It’s a tough situation. I’ve been on both sides of it. It’s hard on everybody.”
Through two games, the Panthers scored a combined 13 points. Carolina is looking to avoid its second consecutive season starting 0-3 when it faces the Raiders in Las Vegas on Sunday.
Dave Canales declines to say what role David Tepper had in the Bryce Young decision. pic.twitter.com/NR92UujGe4
— Joe Person (@josephperson) September 16, 2024
Why now?
When Young struggled through a rookie season that saw him finish as the NFL’s worst-graded passer, the Panthers dedicated a good chunk of their free-agent budget and offseason energies to improving the offensive line and giving Young more playmakers. Despite better protection, Young regressed through the first two games with no passing touchdowns, three interceptions and 245 combined passing yards.
Canales was in danger of losing the locker room and fan base if he stuck with Young. During Sunday’s loss to the Chargers, fans booed Young, some wore bags over their heads and others chanted encouragement for Tepper to sell the team. — Joe Person, Panthers beat writer
What does Dalton bring?
For starters, a veteran presence who should be able to settle things down for Canales and the first-year offensive staff. The 36-year-old Dalton started Week 3 for the Panthers last year at Seattle when Young was sidelined for one game with an ankle injury.
Dalton threw for 361 yards (34 for 58), which was the high-water mark for the Panthers in 2023 in terms of passing yardage. If nothing else, inserting Dalton gives Young a chance to catch his breath, watch how a seasoned quarterback performs in Canales’ scheme and perhaps regain confidence. — Person
Numbers behind moving Dalton to QB1
You would’ve thought rock bottom had already occurred for Young after Week 1, but his Week 2 performance was even worse. Young produced the worst EPA per dropback rate of his career, via TruMedia, at -0.69. For the season, Young ranks last in the league in EPA per dropback rate at -0.44 and passer rating at 44.1.
It gets worse.
Young ranks last (99 qualified quarterbacks) in total QB EPA at -143.1 and EPA per dropback at -0.24 among quarterbacks in their first 18 starts since 2000.
At least Dalton gives the Panthers a chance on offense. He last served as a starter for the Saints in 2022 and compiled a respectable 0.02 EPA per dropback rate along with a 95.2 passer rating. But the Saints only went 6-8 with Dalton under center as QB1. — Larry Holder, NFL senior writer
Required reading
(Photo: Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images)