Monday saw the unceremonious firing of Frank Reich, who lasted just 11 games in the Carolina Panthers’ latest rebuild around Bryce Young. It’s apparent that Reich is probably just a scapegoat for owner David Tepper, who allegedly might have forced Young on a coaching staff that wanted no part of him.
And that’s what makes Reich’s firing so especially dangerous for Carolina.
Because Young is a No. 1 overall pick that doesn’t resemble anything close to a capable NFL starter. Now he’s going to be learning a second offense in two seasons after already drowning in Reich’s scheme. This is an unmitigated disaster for the Panthers, who traded a king’s ransom to the Chicago Bears just to select Young in last April’s NFL draft. So not only will Young be fighting an uphill battle, he’ll have fewer reinforcements coming than expected during this upcoming offseason.
Here’s an outline of everything the Panthers surrendered to the Bears in an awful trade for Young that might set the organization back for years:
To Bears:
- WR D.J. Moore
- 2023 first-round draft pick (OT Darnell Wright)
- 2023 second-round draft pick (CB Tyrique Stevenson)
- 2024 first-round draft pick (currently in line to be the No. 1 overall pick)
- 2025 second-round draft pick
To Panthers:
- 2023 No. 1 overall pick (Bryce Young)