Is There Any Hope Left For Bryce Young?

The Carolina Panthers were absolutely embarrassed on Sunday, losing their Week 1 contest 47-10 to their division rival New Orleans Saints. Starting quarterback Bryce Young struggled, finishing 13-of-30 for 161 yards, zero touchdowns, and two interceptions. It was a nightmarish performance for Young, who continues trending toward bust territory.

Young completed just 43.3% of his passes. The former Alabama standout was also sacked on four occasions. Young added 12 rushing yards and a touchdown to his lackluster offensive totals.

The Panthers spent the offseason pouring resources into their sophomore No. 1 overall pick, Young. Young is tasked with showing growth this season after concluding his rookie campaign with a 59.8% completion percentage and nearly as many interceptions (10) as touchdowns (11). No development was displayed on Sunday.

Young's first passing attempt of the 2024 campaign was intercepted—Young overshot his receiver from a play-action passing concept. A collapsing pocket prevented him from setting his feet, and cornerback Will Harris picked off a pass that was so horrid it appeared intended for him.

Young's second passing attempt of the second half was also intercepted. Facing a 3rd-and-17 and an insurmountable deficit of 30-3, Young heaved a desperation ball deep into the waiting hands of safety Jordan Howden. Carolina's offense appeared as discombobulated as ever.

The Panthers went a combined 2-of-13 on third and fourth-down attempts. They gained just 193 total yards of offense, committed three total turnovers, and punted five times. Only one offense (the New York Giants, 6) scored fewer points on Sunday.

Young wrapped up his afternoon with an EPA per play of -0.33, according to RBSDM. His total EPA of -13.5 was among the worst of any starting quarterback in Week 1. Adding insult, Young's Completion Percentage Over Expected (CPOE) was -15.3. Analytics indicate his completion rate was significantly lower than it should have been, with all factors (down and distance, etc.) considered.

The deeper you dive into the analytics, the worse the picture gets for Young. Filtering EPA per dropback since 2022 for all quarterbacks with a minimum of 400 dropbacks, he ranks dead-last (41st) among all qualifying signal callers, per The Ringer. It's difficult to find any advanced stat that defends Young's play.

The Panthers' offseason movements kept Young in mind. New general manager Dan Morgan hired the offensive-minded Dave Canales to be the head coach. An offensive line that allowed the second-most sacks (65) in the league last season received reinforcements like Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis at guard. Diontae Johnson and Xavier Legette were added to a pass-catching corps that now has better depth on paper.

None of the perceived upgrades were difference-makers on Sunday. Young and the Panthers' offense looked as inadequate as ever. If Carolina's performance offered any true indication of season-long trends, they'll be in contention for the No. 1 overall selection for a second consecutive campaign (at least they own their first-round pick this time).

The 2024 season is critical for Young. The Panthers are deeply invested in his development, but they'll consider severing ties if Sunday's performance becomes a weekly occurrence. Young may not be Carolina's quarterback of the future.