To paraphrase fictional general manager Tom Michaels from the 2014 film “Draft Day”, we live in a different world than we did less than 24 hours ago. After insisting that Bryce Young is his starting quarterback, Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales is making a huge change. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft is being relegated to the bench and replaced by veteran Andy Dalton.

Naturally, the football-watching world is buzzing with shock. Pat McAfee reacted to the news live while his show was airing, processing the bombshell and then explaining why this could actually mark the beginning of a triumphant turnaround for Young.

Would a change of scenery salvage Bryce Young's career?

“We have no idea how this came to be, but this is massive breaking news for a very young career… that people are going to put into a conversation about how his career went, very quickly and very loudly,” the former All-Pro punter and popular analyst said on The Pat McAfee Show, via NFL on ESPN. “This does not mean his career is over. Maybe a fresh start somewhere else, he finds his team like a Baker Mayfield, like a Sam Darnold, like these other quarterbacks that have been able to go on and figure it out at a later date.”

Whether or not Young can recover from a dismal 2-16 record as a starter, it seems safe to say that a different environment could only help. His limitations and deficiencies are glaring, as is evident by a 59.3 completion percentage and the paltry 12 touchdowns he has scored during his Panthers tenure thus far. However, this franchise does not appear to be currently equipped to foster the growth of a young QB.

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There are few playmakers on either side of the ball, and the infrastructure has long been fragmented. Regardless of if the new regime is capable enough to fix these issues, it is clearly not interested in waiting any longer for Young, a player it did not even draft, to show signs of marked progression. Still, this is a truly brutal turn of events for a former Heisman Trophy winner who was given the keys to the Panthers franchise less than a year and a half ago.

The Panthers might have more than just a Bryce Young issue

The last straw was Sunday's 26-3 home loss versus the Los Angeles Chargers. Young completed 18 of 26 passes for only 84 yards. He has zero touchdowns and three interceptions in the early goings of the 2024-25 season. His smaller frame (listed 5-foot-10) portended struggles at the professional level, but even his promising talent, which was on display at Alabama, is not revealing itself in Carolina.

Simply put, Bryce Young looks painfully out of sorts. The Panthers will still be placed directly under the microscope for this decision. If Andy Dalton or any other quarterback faces the same adversity that the 23-year-old has, then owner David Tepper and the entire organization will be subjected to an avalanche of ridicule.

And given how things have gone lately for the franchise, one has to wonder if it can possibly withstand any more bad optics. Dalton and Carolina (0-2) head out West to battle the Las Vegas Raiders (1-1) on Sunday.