After just 18 starts, the Bryce Young era in Carolina appears to be reaching an end.
On Monday, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported that the winless Carolina Panthers are benching Young, the 2023 No. 1 overall pick, in favor of veteran quarterback Andy Dalton. The decision comes on the heels of Carolina's 26-3, Week 2, home loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, during which Young completed 18 of his 26 passes for 84 yards and one interception.
Young, who is 2-16 as a starter in his career while throwing 11 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, has quickly solidified himself as one of the biggest busts in NFL history. Although entering a situation as disastrous as Carolina's has surely played a role in his struggles, the 5-foot-10, 204-pounder hasn't shown flashes of being a franchise quarterback.
Even so, considering the success that journeymen quarterbacks Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold have enjoyed in their post-Panthers careers, it's possible Young could get his career on track with another team.
While there hasn't been any indication that the Panthers plan to part ways with Young, here are three teams that should consider acquiring him either ahead of the Nov. 5 trade deadline or in the offseason.
Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins are another team facing uncertainty at the quarterback decision, as it remains to be seen what the future holds for Tua Tagovailoa after the 26-year-old suffered the third concussion of his NFL career last Thursday.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Tagovailoa "has no plans to retire." Additionally, Tagovailoa will meet with neurologists this week to assess his future, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Even though Tagovailoa intends to return to the Dolphins, it's still unclear how long his latest concussion will keep him sidelined. Miami has already begun preparing for a prolonged absence from Tagovailoa, with the team signing former Pro Bowler Tyler Huntley off Baltimore's practice squad on Monday.
In the short term, the Dolphins will turn to 2022 seventh-rounder Skylar Thompson as their starting quarterback. However, neither Thompson nor Huntley offer much upside in the long run, given that they've posted a combined 4-9 record as starters, including the playoffs.
With a bright offensive mind in HC Mike McDaniel, an explosive running game and the NFL's top wide receiver duo in Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, Miami has the personnel to put Young in a position to be productive. It's unlikely that Carolina would flip Young for a mid-to-late-round draft pick during the season, but Dolphins GM Chris Grier should at least give Panthers GM Dan Morgan a call.
Las Vegas Raiders
QB Gardner Minshew II played well in Las Vegas' 26-23 come from behind road upset win over the Ravens in Week 2, throwing for 276 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Nonetheless, Minshew is only a stopgap quarterback for the Raiders, and the team lacks a true long-term answer at the position.
Despite signing Minshew this past offseason, Las Vegas attempted to trade up for now-Commanders QB Jayden Daniels before the 2024 NFL Draft and reportedly had an interest in selecting current Falcons signal-caller Michael Penix Jr.
It's clear the Raiders will try and find their eventual franchise quarterback sooner than later. Yet, if the team manages to string together a few more impressive wins like Sunday's, Las Vegas could find itself out of range to land a top quarterback prospect in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Trading up for a quarterback would undoubtedly be pricey, and as we know, there's no guarantee that the prospect would pan out. Considering Minshew is under contract through next season, taking a flier on Young and having him compete for the 2025 starting job could be a beneficial move for the Raiders.
Las Vegas could then reassess its quarterback situation leading up to the 2026 draft, which will feature several intriguing QB prospects.
Los Angeles Rams
The Rams never seem to shy away from a reclamation project, and Young could be the latest underwhelming quarterback option HC Sean McVay finds success with. Few coaches are better at maximizing the potential of their signal-callers than McVay, who has earned wins with names like Mayfield, John Wolford and Carson Wentz at quarterback during his tenure.
McVay's work with Mayfield, in particular, provides optimism that Young could flourish in his system. During the 2022 season, Mayfield notably led the Rams on a 98-yard game-winning touchdown drive to clinch a 17-16, Week 14, win over the Raiders just two days after being claimed off waivers.
Los Angeles, which is amidst a disappointing 0-2 start to the season due in part to its injury woes, doesn't have a succession plan at quarterback. 36-year-old starter Matthew Stafford is under contract through 2026, though the Rams can get out of his current deal after next season.
If the Rams want to spend their 2025 first-round pick on an immediate contributor, it would make sense to trade for Young to let him sit behind Stafford and see if he develops into a viable starting quarterback option.
