NFL

Panthers benching former top pick Bryce Young for Andy Dalton: Report

The Alabama product has gone 2-16 in his first 18 NFL starts since being drafted last April.

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Andy Dalton and Bryce Young
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

Andy Dalton and Bryce Young of the Carolina Panthers warm up before the game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium on Nov. 26, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Dave Canales isn't wasting any time.

The first-year head coach reportedly will bench quarterback Bryce Young in favor of veteran Andy Dalton beginning with the Carolina Panthers' next game.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero first reported the news on Monday.

Through two games this season, the Panthers have been outscored 73-13 in two blowout losses. Young has completed just 55.4% of his passes with no touchdowns and three interceptions.

The former No. 1 overall pick has never found his footing in the NFL since being drafted last April. He started 16 games last season, going 2-14 with 2,877 passing yards, 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

The Panthers fired their new head coach Frank Reich after a 1-10 start last season and hired Canales over the offseason. Despite the coaching change, Young's play has not improved.

As Young heads to the bench, the Chicago Bears continue to reap the rewards of their pre-draft trade last spring. The Panthers sent D.J. Moore, two first-round picks (one to select Caleb Williams) and two second-round picks to the Bears in exchange for the No. 1 pick, which they used to take Young.

Dalton, meanwhile, provides some stability for a team that has won just two of its last 19 games. The 36-year-old QB has 14 seasons of experience, including the last two as Young's backup.

Canales and the Panthers will seek their first win of the season in Week 3 against the Raiders in Las Vegas on Sunday.

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