Panthers benching former No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young after 0-2 start; Andy Dalton to start at QB

The Panthers have gotten hammered twice to open Canales’ tenure. After a Week 1 blowout loss in New Orleans, Carolina took it on the chin within the house opener Sunday in a 26-3 loss to the L.A. Chargers. In two video games, Carolina has put up simply 13 complete factors.

Younger mixed for 245 passing yards with three interceptions, zero touchdowns, and a 55.4 completion share via two weeks. On Sunday, he set a profession low with 84 passing yards with an interception.

Canales advised reporters after the sport on Sunday that Younger remained the staff’s QB1, and he was requested what sparked the change after all fewer than 24 hours later.

“I needed to watch the movie,” Canales stated on Monday. “By the point that I spoke to you all I hadn’t watched the movie. So, I went house. I watched the movie. I gathered the data, and I made the most effective determination for the staff, particularly for the offense of what is going on to place us in the most effective place to achieve success this week.”

Since his first begin in Carolina, the 5-foot-10 Younger has by no means seemed snug. Behind a porous offensive line, he is been scattershot, panicked within the pocket — not often stepping up — has seen his mechanics go wonky, and repeatedly has made poor selections. Younger’s play continued to plummet via the primary two video games of the 2024 season.

This offseason, the Panthers got down to enhance the disastrous state of affairs surrounding the QB they traded away a haul to accumulate within the 2023 draft — together with star receiver DJ Moore and what would find yourself because the No. 1 total decide (Caleb Williams). Carolina spent large to enhance the inside offensive line, traded for Diontae Johnson and drafted Xavier Legette within the first spherical. Heretofore, none of it has helped.

Canales was employed particularly for his work with quarterbacks, serving to recalibrate the careers of Geno Smith in Seattle and Baker Mayfield in Tampa. His dedication after two video games is that Dalton is the higher possibility proper now, and he declined to inform reporters on Monday whether or not this was a one-week benching or a perminent change below middle.

The trail ahead will now be fascinating for the membership and Younger. It might be the case the place the coach wants to determine what elements of the offense work and might’t accomplish that with a spiraling quarterback. Canales would possibly suppose a while on the sideline might be good for the 23-year-old quarterback. Nonetheless it performs out, Younger will take a backseat in Carolina. The query is when, if ever, the previous No. 1 decide will get again within the driver’s seat.