Welcome to my other blog today we discussed “Carolina Panthers’ Struggles: The Bryce Young Era and Its Fallout”.To say things have been rough for the Carolina Panthers in recent years would be an understatement. The franchise has been in a downward spiral, finishing under .500 for six straight seasons, and 2024 looks like it will be no different. A dismal 0-2 start to the season has been followed by a new low for the team: the benching of quarterback Bryce Young.
This moment feels like rock bottom for the Panthers.
Bryce Young’s Dismal Start
Bryce Young’s arrival in Carolina was marked by excitement and high hopes. Draft night was undoubtedly the peak of his tenure so far, as the Panthers selected the Alabama product with the No. 1 overall pick in 2023. Unfortunately, everything that has happened since has been a slow decline, leading many to view the decision to draft Young as one of the worst in recent NFL history. Young, once seen as a potential franchise savior, is now being discussed as a possible draft bust.
Of course, evaluating the situation isn’t as simple as pointing to one player’s on-field performance. Young’s struggles as a quarterback are well-documented, with his record as a starter standing at 2-16, giving him the third-worst win percentage (.111) by any quarterback since 1950 (with a minimum of 15 starts). But the situation goes beyond just his play.
The Heavy Price of the Bryce Young Trade
One of the reasons the Bryce Young situation stings so much for Carolina is the price they paid to acquire him. The Panthers didn’t naturally land the No. 1 pick in 2023 by virtue of having the league’s worst record. Instead, the top selection initially belonged to the Chicago Bears. Carolina traded up in the draft, making a deal that, in hindsight, looks like one of the most lopsided trades in NFL history.
What did Carolina give up? A haul of valuable assets that would later fuel Chicago’s rise. Meanwhile, the Panthers used their coveted No. 1 overall pick to select Young, hoping he would be the quarterback to turn the franchise around. Fast forward to 2024, and Young is sitting behind veteran Andy Dalton on the depth chart, a far cry from the franchise savior he was expected to be.
The C.J. Stroud Comparison
To make matters worse for Carolina, the quarterback selected right after Young, C.J. Stroud, has flourished in the NFL. The Houston Texans took Stroud with the second overall pick, and the Ohio State alum went on to have one of the most impressive rookie seasons in league history. Stroud set new franchise rookie records for passing yards, touchdowns, and completions, ultimately leading Houston to an AFC South title and a playoff win.
The contrast between Stroud and Young is glaring. Stroud’s instant success only amplifies the criticism of Carolina’s decision to pass on him for Young.
The Haul for the Bears
While the Panthers struggle with their decision to draft Young, the Chicago Bears have thrived with the assets they received in the trade. The Bears used the 2023 first-round pick from Carolina to draft offensive tackle Darnell Wright, who started all 17 games in his rookie season. They also acquired cornerback Tyrique Stevenson with a 2023 second-round pick, and he started 16 games while recording 16 pass breakups and four interceptions.
These two immediate starters alone would be enough to make Chicago look like the clear winner of the trade. However, the Bears also received wide receiver D.J. Moore, a key piece in the trade. Moore signed a massive $110 million extension after a career-best season with Chicago. During which he recorded 96 receptions, 1,364 receiving yards, and eight touchdowns.
Moore is still only 27 years old and poised to be a cornerstone for Chicago’s offense in the years to come. Carolina, on the other hand, finds itself wondering what went wrong.
The Caleb Williams Miss
Perhaps the most painful part of this entire situation is what Carolina gave up in the 2024 draft. As part of the trade to move up to No. 1 in 2023, the Panthers also sent their 2024 first-round pick to the Bears. That pick ultimately became USC quarterback Caleb Williams, a generational talent and Heisman Trophy winner. The Bears were able to land Williams thanks to Carolina’s disastrous 2023 season, in which they finished with the worst record in the league.
If you’re keeping score, Carolina missed out on C.J. Stroud by taking Young over him and then lost the chance to draft Caleb Williams because Young and the team couldn’t muster more than two wins in 2023.
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The Fallout of a Failed Trade
If Stroud continues on his current trajectory, and Williams becomes the superstar many expect him to be, this trade will go down as one of the worst in NFL history. The decision to draft Bryce Young over Stroud, and the subsequent loss of the pick that became Williams, could haunt the Panthers for years to come.
Adding insult to injury, the Bears still have another future pick from Carolina—a 2025 second-rounder—that could further bolster their team.
Conclusion
The Bryce Young era in Carolina, though still in its early stages, has been a disaster thus far. The Panthers not only gambled on Young, but they gave up a treasure trove of assets to do so, only to see him benched after a string of poor performances. Meanwhile, C.J. Stroud and Caleb Williams, the two quarterbacks Carolina passed on, could very well become the NFL’s next superstars. If that happens, the Bryce Young trade will stand as one of the most regrettable moves in recent memory.
