Is there a way back?

Good morning, I’m Dan Gartland. This will be the last SI:AM for a while. I’m leaving the country for a week.

In today’s SI:AM:

🙁 Bryce Young is benched
😀 Kirk’s game-winning drive
🤔 Sid’s interesting new contract

The Carolina Panthers made the aggressive but not surprising decision on Monday to bench quarterback Bryce Young in favor of experienced Andy Dalton.

The fact that the team made this decision just two games into Young’s second professional season is an indication of how poor his NFL career has been so far – and a sign that he could be playing elsewhere in 2025. At the same time, however, Panthers coach Dave Canales did not say that Young’s substitution would be a permanent move.

“There are a lot of factors that go into this decision. And ultimately, it was just on my shoulders to make the best decision for our group to give us the best chance of winning this week.” Canales said“And we’re focused on the weeks ahead, we’re focused on the challenge ahead. We feel like Andy gives us the best chance to meet the challenge.

“This was my decision. This is our football team. We try to win every week. And even though it’s my decision, I get information from the people who make those decisions. But I felt like this gave us a chance to improve our style of play and be able to compete against a really good Raiders team this week.”

Young is now 2-16 as a starter after Carolina was thoroughly embarrassed in the first two games of the season, losing 47-10 to the New Orleans Saints and 26-3 to the Los Angeles Chargers. He has thrown for just 122.5 yards per game (the lowest of any quarterback in the league who has started two games), with no touchdowns and three interceptions. His 4.4 yards per pass attempt ranks second to last in the NFL, after finishing last in that category last year.

These numbers show why the Panthers decided to make such a drastic move so quickly after risking their future and drafting Young with the No. 1 pick in the draft. His tenure in Carolina was nothing short of a disaster, and the team’s decision to bench him shows that the franchise must at least consider trading him away in the offseason.

It’s not uncommon for a team to drop a highly drafted quarterback before the end of his rookie contract. Mac Jones and Justin Fields, both drafted in the top half of the first round in 2021, were traded away this offseason after disappointing starts to their professional careers. But a former No. 1 pick – who you traded after only two seasons would be a stunning admission of defeat.

It might be the right move, though. Young just didn’t look like a starting quarterback, and he may never be one. He had a stellar college career at Alabama and won the Heisman Trophy in 2021, but there were always concerns about how he would adapt to the pro game, primarily because of his size. He’s generously listed at 5′ 10″ and weighed 204 pounds at the Combine, making him the lightest quarterback ever drafted in the first round. Partly because of his below-average size, he also lacks the necessary arm strength. But his impressive college stats (80 touchdowns and just 12 interceptions in 35 games), agility and ability to read defenses made him a coveted prospect.

It’s impossible to say how much of Young’s struggles are due to an inability to adjust to the pro game and how much is due to the situation with the Panthers. Carolina is considered one of the NFL’s most dysfunctional franchises, and Young came to a team with glaring weaknesses that fell into even greater disarray midseason last year when coach Frank Reich was fired. At Alabama, Young found the perfect environment for success – surrounded by elite talent at every position and with one of the greatest coaches of all time. It’s difficult to go from such stability to a team with as many problems as the Panthers. And Young isn’t the only Alabama quarterback who’s struggled to make the transition to the pros recently. Jones also floundered after a promising rookie season.

Young’s issues also raise questions about the trend of NFL teams using rookie quarterbacks right out of the gate. The prevailing opinion today is that a good quarterback on a rookie contract is the league’s most valuable asset, and so teams want to maximize the playing time of a young, inexpensive quarterback. But obviously not every passer is ready to jump into the NFL right away, and some of them could benefit from spending some time behind a veteran to ease the transition.

Maybe taking a step back and watching Dalton from the sidelines will help Young take a deep breath, boost his confidence, and come back with a fresh mindset that will set him up for success. But for now, the Panthers’ decision to draft him first looks to be shaping up to be one of the worst draft decisions in NFL history.

… things I saw last night:

5. Pablo Torres performance To Celebrity family feud.
4. The ManningCast reaction to the Falcons’ game-deciding drive.
3. Reaction of Mets fans on the botched signal by referee Andy Fletcher after a replay.
2. Starling Marte’s walk-off hit for the Mets to get back into playoff position.
1. Spencer Arrighetti’s strikeout by Luis Arraez. Arraez was gone 141 batting appearances without Kthe longest series in two decades.