The Panthers have benched quarterback Bryce Young, just one year after selecting the quarterback No. 1 overall, ahead of C.J. Stroud.
The startling news comes after two horrible weeks for the former Heisman Trophy winner, in which Young has failed to improve after a disastrous rookie campaign.
And the Panthers' spread against the Raiders actually improved amidst the move to Andy Dalton. Odds across the market went from +6.5 to +6. The total has moved up three points since yesterday as well.
Young exits his starting role as the worst quarterback on the moneyline since 2023. Young has been the least profitable starting quarterback during his NFL career, going 2-16 on the moneyline. A $100 per game bettor would be down $1,333 if they had laid that much on the Panthers moneyline over the Young era. Only Sam Howell — now a backup — has come close at a mark of -$873 with a 4-13 record. Young, for what it's worth, has never won a road game in his NFL career.
By that same ilk, Young is the second-least profitable quarterback ATS over his tenure at 5-12-1. Only the Giants' Daniel Jones (0-8 ATS) has been worse. A $100 per game bettor would be down $739 wagering on the Panthers' spread. Jones bettors would be down an even $800.
This horrible track record persisted this year despite the fact that the Panthers did everything in their power during the offseason to improve Young's surroundings. The Panthers added wide receiver Diontae Johnson and two key offensive linemen and used their best draft picks on two skill position players, but nothing has seemed to improve Young's outlook.
The former Alabama quarterback completed 18 passes for just 84 yards in a blowout loss to the Chargers on Sunday. No quarterback in NFL history completed that many passes in a single game without throwing for at least 100 yards, according to ESPN Stats. It's a testament to the team's lack of faily in Young's vertical passing abilities and an indication of Young's inability to make second- and third-reads, especially in a collapsing pocket, of which he experiences many.
Now in the fold is journeyman quarterback Andy Dalton, who started one game last season when Young was injured.
For what it's worth, Young had been roughly +5000 to win the Comeback Player of the Year Award heading into the season, but has been off the board across all major American sportsbooks since a horrible Week 1 in which he threw two picks and barely threw the ball down the field in a blowout loss to the Saints.
