Constructing a winning football team is an incredibly abstract concept. Ultimately, it is up to a general manager and head coach to collaborate together to not only create a cohesive, talented roster but also place those players in a position to succeed. Altogether, if good players are put in proper situations to thrive, the thought is that an organization will win its fair share of games.
That being said, what separates football from other sports is the singular importance placed on one position: quarterback. Based on the history of the NFL, an organization’s ability to identify and develop a franchise quarterback can often make or break its long-term success, which in turn determines the fate of the lead decision-makers. Look no further than the Carolina Panthers, who find themselves in an extremely tricky position.
When the Panthers hired head coach Matt Rhule before the 2020 season, they made an instant statement at the quarterback position. Not only did they release franchise icon Cam Newton, but they signed Teddy Bridgewater to a hefty three-year, $63 million contract; it was a clear indication of an identity shift for the organization. Nevertheless, upon hiring Scott Fitterer to be their general manager, the amount of quarterback turnover was substantial:
- April 5, 2021: Carolina acquired Sam Darnold from the Jets in exchange for a 2021 sixth-round pick, 2022 second-round pick, and 2022 fourth-round pick
- April 28, 2021: After just one season, Bridgewater was traded to the Broncos for a sixth-round pick
- July 6, 2022: The Panthers traded for Baker Mayfield, sending a 2024 conditional fifth-round pick to the Browns
All told, Carolina had a different starting quarterback in each season with Rhule as head coach before he was fired during the 2022 season. As you would expect, owner David Tepper no longer wanted to settle for make-shift solutions under center; the organization traded away star receiver D.J. Moore, the ninth overall pick in 2023, a 2024 first-round pick, and multiple second-round picks to select Alabama quarterback Bryce Young with the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Organizations will be desperate to find a franchise quarterback, so it is understandable why Carolina was willing to pay such a steep price. However, for a rookie quarterback to develop properly, he also needs to be placed in a functional situation. Some reports indicated that Tepper overruled head coach Frank Reich and Fitterer to draft Young, and Reich was fired after just 11 games. Furthermore, without an ideal supporting cast and multiple offensive play-callers, Young struggled mightily, while the team finished with an abysmal 2-14 record that would have granted them the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Of course, that went to the Chicago Bears as part of the trade-up for Young, making the circumstances even more dire.
Tepper didn’t stop in his pursuit of turning things around in Carolina, however. He hired Dan Morgan to replace Fitterer as the team’s president of football operations and later hired Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave Canales as head coach. Canales had just played a monumental role in the resurrection of Baker Mayfield’s career in Tampa Bay, and it was clear to see that Tepper was hoping for a similar effect for Young.
Unfortunately, the immediate results could not have been worse. Through two games, the Panthers were outscored by a 73-13 margin, while Young’s production (122.5 passing yards/game, 0 touchdowns, 3 interceptions, 6 sacks) was highly concerning. That being said, the expectation for a rebuilding organization would be to stick with the young quarterback. Canales, however, had different plans, inserting 37-year-old Andy Dalton as the team’s new starting quarterback prior to Week 3. While Dalton led Carolina to a 36-22 win in Las Vegas, the glory period clearly wore off after that:
- Week 4: Lost 34-24 vs Bengals
- Week 5: Lost 36-10 at Bears
- Week 6: Lost 38-20 at Falcons
- Week 7: Lost 40-7 at Commanders
Making the situation more bizarre, Dalton suffered a thumb injury in a car accident before the Panthers’ Week 8 matchup in Denver, forcing Young back into the starting lineup. On the bright side, the second-year quarterback’s 224 passing yards against the Broncos were more than he had in his first two starts combined. That being said, he still threw two interceptions, and the team lost by two scores.
With Dalton still not medically cleared to play, Young was asked to start again in Week 9. This time, he faced the same New Orleans Saints team that humiliated the Panthers (47-10) in Week 1, but Young changed the tune dramatically. While the overall numbers (16/26, 171 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) do not look tremendous, he led the team to a game-winning touchdown drive in the fourth quarter of a 23-22 victory, and earned significant praise from Canales:
“I gotta look at the whole thing, gotta watch the film and all that stuff. But he came up big in some critical moments, and gave us an opportunity a couple of times. So, again, just proud of the step that he took again. Just taking all the things we’re asking him to do, getting us to the right place at the right time. So, great step.”
Here is the problem, however—Canales remained non-committal to naming Young as his starting quarterback moving forward. Yes, shortly after the player the organization invested everything into had arguably his most encouraging performance as a professional, a 2-7 team is debating placing him on the bench once again. To be honest, what was the point of benching Young to begin with? The best way for a quarterback to get better is to play, especially if he had more time to adjust to a new offensive play-caller and a new surrounding cast. When the fear of being benched with the next mistake comes into play, that is seemingly not ideal for the mental hurdles of playing the position, and something that should not come into play for an organization still completely focused on their long-term plans.
With a legitimate chance at having the first overall pick this year, wouldn’t you want to give Young every opportunity to prove himself before deciding whether or not to look for a new quarterback? Benching him after just two starts into his second season already displayed a clear lack of patience, and doing so again after leading Carolina to a rare victory would be, in my opinion, organizational malpractice. Young at least deserves the chance to play these final eight games before a decision on his future is made, and it is not like the team was performing better with Dalton under center; they’ve scored as many points (37) in Young’s last two starts as the previous three with Dalton.
For all parties involved, let us hope that Young remains under center for the Panthers in Germany on Sunday, and moving forward. What happens beyond 2024 is a question for another day, but, at this moment, there is no question to even contemplate.
