Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young might already be on the outs in Charlotte after being taken with the first-overall pick in last year’s NFL Draft.
The team benched Young on Monday after a rough start as the team’s quarterback, which strongly suggests the former Alabama star doesn’t have a future with Carolina.
While a trade is far from inevitable given what the Panthers gave up to draft Young, it feels more likely that the quarterback ends the year in a different jersey than the one he sports right now with such a declarative move.
However, a former first-overall pick doesn’t really get benched this soon … ever … which will undoubtedly intrigue other teams in the NFL to see if they can fix Young’s issues and help him reach his potential.
Let’s look at five possibilities and discuss how they’d all make sense.
1. Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins are at a tough crossroads with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa after he sustained yet another concussion last week. Tagovailoa’s future is very uncertain with the franchise, and coach Mike McDaniel is credited with rescuing the former first-round Alabama draft pick from bust status after arriving in 2022. Could he do the same for Young? It’s certainly possible!
There’s not a better landing spot for him right now. Particularly given Tagovailoa’s troubling concussion history, Miami could have an heir apparent waiting in the wings if Young is able to improve in McDaniel’s offense.
2. Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders will likely grit it out with Gardner Minshew for the year, but that doesn’t change the fact that Las Vegas is never quite bad enough to get a top pick and never quite good enough to capitalize on its upset wins. If the Raiders feel like Young can be fixed, this is probably the best landing spot for him in terms of there being an open quarterback job in 2025.
Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy just finished an uneven stint with Justin Fields in Chicago, so we’re not sure if he’ll want another underachieving first-round quarterback to deal with. However, the fit makes sense on paper.
3. New York Giants
The Giants are absolutely the most intriguing name on this list because of coach Brian Daboll’s connection to Nick Saban. While he was only in Tuscaloosa for a season in 2017, he knows how to run the type of offense Young thrived in as a college star. It’s something Young hasn’t had in his NFL career, this direct a link to his past with the Crimson Tide and to Saban.
If Daboll could tailor the right attack and develop with Young like he did Josh Allen (if not quite to that level), New York could find a quarterback of the future out of a very difficult situation with Carolina. It’s no sure thing, but Daboll might be curious to see if he’s got what it takes to fix Young.
4. Los Angeles Rams
The Rams are always going to be one of those quarterback reclamation schools where guys go, sit on the bench for a year, learn from one of the best offensive coaching staffs in the NFL and then try their luck elsewhere as a free agent. What’s interesting with Los Angeles is Matthew Stafford’s future, as the starting quarterback isn’t going to play forever.
Perhaps the Rams could take Young on as a long-term project and see how he’s developing over the rest of Stafford’s tenure. If they’re able to give him a hard reset and sand down his bad habits from the Panthers, perhaps Young will pay off dividends down the road once Stafford’s tenure with the team ends.
5. San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers are on here for purely obligatory reasons, as Kyle Shanahan has a proven track record of helping struggling offensive players look good in his system, Young would be a fascinating challenge for Shanahan’s coaching staff, but bringing him in to flip him to another team after some work isn’t the worst idea for San Francisco. The team does have a habit of doing this.
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