Bryce Young Rumors: Panthers QB Won’t Be Traded at NFL Deadline Despite Recent Calls

Paul KasabianFeatured Columnist IINovember 5, 2024

Grant Halverson/Getty Images

NFL teams called the Carolina Panthers regarding quarterback Bryce Young before Tuesday’s 4 p.m. ET trade deadline, but the team will be holding on to him, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini.

Dianna Russini @DMRussiniThe Panthers will be keeping QB Bryce Young, per source.

Teams have called Carolina about 2023’s No. 1 pick, but ultimately, have decided not to trade him. pic.twitter.com/Kb2uDcXE0z

The Panthers selected Young with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft, but he’s struggled out of the gate, to the point where Carolina benched him for veteran Andy Dalton two games into the 2024 season.

However, he’s returned as QB1 over the last two games after Dalton suffered a sprained thumb. The ex-Alabama star looked much-improved from Weeks 1 and 2, completing 40-of-63 passes for 395 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions.

Young also led the Panthers to a 23-22 win over the New Orleans Saints last Sunday, snapping the team’s five-game losing streak.

While the Panthers’ future at the position remains murky, especially given the team’s decision to bench him coupled with trade rumors, there’s no doubt Young has looked more confident and much-improved. In fact, Young was exceptional on third and fourth downs against the Saints, per Pro Football Focus.

PFF CAR Panthers @PFF_PanthersBryce Young on 3rd/4th downs vs the Saints:

🔹 82.5 PFF grade
🔹 7/8 passing
🔹 71 passing yards
🔹 4 first downs pic.twitter.com/Kx3ukAcbH2

Perhaps his most recent game represents new life in Carolina, although head coach Dave Canales told reporters he wasn’t sure whether Young or Dalton, now good to go, starts for the Panthers when they play the New York Giants in Germany on Sunday.

“We’ll take in all the information, watch the film, we’ve got to process, we’ve got to make sure we look at all this stuff, and we’ll let you guys know in the next couple days,” Canales said, per Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. “Make sure we make the best decision for the team.”

But he’s clearly happy with Young.

“I’ve got to look at the whole thing, I’ve got to watch the film and all that stuff, but he came up big,” Canales said. “Just proud of the step he took again, taking all the things we’re asking him to do and getting us to the right place.”

In fairness to Young, he wasn’t exactly pulled into a good starting spot for success. The Panthers have seemingly been in a constant state of turmoil since the end of the Cam Newton/Ron Rivera era, and they haven’t made the playoffs over the last six seasons.

Young’s first head coach, Frank Reich, was fired after a 1-10 start in 2023. Interim coach Chris Tabor then led the team for six games before Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave Canales took over this year. And Young himself can’t carry the Panthers out of the doldrums, with the team going just 4-22 since the beginning of the 2023 season.

But despite all that, he’s found some success recently, and it’ll be interesting to see if he’s able to continue that in Munich on Sunday, should he be named QB1. Kickoff from Munich is at 9:30 a.m. ET.