The Carolina Panthers have one of the most interesting histories in sports. They reside in one of the most unpredictable divisions in football, have never had back to back winning seasons, yet had a 3 year playoff streak. They have been to two Super Bowls but have never won one, and haven’t seen one of those since 2015 when they went 15-1 (and proceeded to go 6-10 the next year). Yet even when you consider all of this the past 5 years still seem to be outliers in an already tumultuous history. 

In 2018 David Tepper purchased the Carolina Panthers. Tepper previously owned shares of the Pittsburgh Steelers and had been waiting for an opportunity to purchase a team of his own. So when the Panthers went up for sale Tepper jumped at the chance. Since then Carolina fans have been sent into a perpetual hell that can seemingly only be stopped if Tepper sells the team. 

Panthers fans have been clamoring for answers, for progress, frankly for anything positive. Sadly no matter how much they have wished and prayed and begged things stay the same. The staff is unproven, the team is a mess, and the results are the same if not worse year after year. Loss after loss after loss is produced almost every game. These losses aren’t what you would consider learning experiences either. These are drag out beatdowns that result in pain for all those involved. Don’t believe me? Let’s take a look at the prime victim of these atrocities. Now former starting quarterback Bryce Young.

Young was extremely promising coming out of Alabama. Young posted over 8000 yards and 80 touchdowns in just 36 games at Bama. When he declared for the 2023 draft it was assumed he would be a home run pick for almost any organization lucky enough to select him. This chatter surrounding the budding star perked old Dave Tepper’s ears up and thus we got one of the most detrimental trades in NFL history. The Panthers moving from pick 9 to pick 1, essentially exchanging Bryce Young for star receiver DJ Moore, Tackle Darnell Wright (taken 9th overall in 2023), Tyrique Stevenson ( a second round selection in 2023), the number one overall pick and generational prospect Caleb Williams this past year, and a second rounder next year. Yikes is the only fitting word to describe it. 

What’s most frustrating about the trade isn’t what Chicago gained, it’s what Carolina lost. None of the pieces of this trade outside DJ Moore have proven themselves to be of great value to Chicago yet. Wright and Stevenson have been serviceable at their best and Williams has barely had a chance to settle in never mind shine. However, these pieces could have been huge in aiding Carolina in surrounding their new “Franchise Guy” with some talent. Especially a receiver as talented as DJ Moore. Well during Bryce Young’s rookie campaign they were in desperate need of talent. The defense was surprisingly not atrocious and made the team look a lot better than they were (which isn’t saying much). The unit was actually ranked top 5 in YPG allowed, though they also ranked bottom 5 in PPG allowed. Regardless of their performance all eyes focused on the other side of the ball and the new man in town. Sadly for those eyes they had to watch the 2023 Carolina Panthers. 

The Panthers offense was, to put it as politely as possible, lethargic. Paint dried more efficiently than this offense moved the ball. The receivers were horrendous, the run game was nonexistent, and don’t even get me started on the offensive line. After a dismal 2-15 campaign that ended with the team surrendering its first round pick to the Bears, the team execs knew changes needed to be made. They added receiving talent by trading up to take South Carolina receiver Xavier Lagette and traded for Steelers receiver Dionte Johnson. They added Jadaeveon Clowney to bolster their pass rush and paid multiple offensive lineman the big bucks in hopes of protecting the future of their franchise. This included handing out 100 mil over 5 years to former Miami guard Robert Hunt, which made a lot of sense given how often Bryce Young was hit last year. 

Here’s the problem, nothing they did has worked. The defense is far worse than last year due to massive losses including safety Jeremy Chin and Superstar pass rusher Brian Burns. Even more concerning is that the O-line might be worse than last year. In just 18 games played Young has been sacked 68 times. In just two games Young has been sacked six times. The plays he isn’t getting thrown to the ground he is running for his life looking for receivers that aren’t open or handing it off to running backs who also get no blocks either. The situation is terrible and frankly unsustainable for any QB, never mind a second year guy who could never get his footing. This is why it’s so frustrating that Bryce Young has been benched for week three. 

Andy Dalton is slated to take the opening snap on Sunday night for Carolina. This will be Dalton’s first start since week three of last season, when the Panthers played the Seattle Seahawks. This game was statistically the second best game the offense played last year, and the hope is that Dalton can recreate some of that week three magic and revive this dying unit. 

Here’s the problem. Whether Dalton comes in and produces or not this benching of a second year guy just TWO GAMES into the season creates far more problems than it solves. The team is playing horrendously, the offseason additions are not outweighing the losses, and the guy that was supposed to save the franchise is already being looked at as the second best quarterback on the team behind ANDY DALTON. The Panther’s have set themselves and Bryce Young up for failure and are now punishing the ladder by ripping him out of his starting role and ruining his already low confidence. The team has done nothing but hinder his development from day one and now find themselves in a scenario in which Bryce might be ruined as a prospect for good.