‘It’s not over for him.’ Panthers are certain QB Bryce Young still has bright NFL future

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — On Monday, Miles Sanders picked up the phone and called Bryce Young — his quarterback, yes, but also his “dawg” who he wanted to check on.

Sanders had something specific he wanted to say.

“I was in the same position last year,” Sanders said. “So if anybody knows what he’s going through, it’s me.”

Sanders was referring to the fact that after signing with the Panthers on a four-year, $25.4 million deal prior to last season — much of that on the promise of his 1,000-yard season with the Eagles in 2022 — he saw his role change. He was the Week 1 starter. The Week 2 starter. Soon after, though, the Frank Reich-led team opted to award the starting job to Chuba Hubbard, who notched over 1,000 all-purpose yards en route a breakout season — putting Sanders as a contributor but at the RB2 spot nonetheless.

The 27-year-old running back recalled this situation on Wednesday. It was the message he communicated to Young on Monday.

He had something else to say, too:

“It’s definitely not over for him.”

It’s been two days since head coach Dave Canales announced that Andy Dalton — the TCU quarterback taken in the same draft as Cam Newton and signed by Carolina to guide Young’s rise as the face of the team’s franchise — would start in place of Young in Week 3 against the Las Vegas Raiders. Two days since the Panthers were thrust in a national conversation they didn’t want to be in — again.

And over the course of those days, players have had the chance to figure out what this new offense will look like — how best to forge forward while also uplifting a guy the team gathered all offseason around and elected captain.

Sanders wasn’t alone in his thoughts that this isn’t a final blow to Young’s tenure in Carolina. He also isn’t alone in saying that “it’s not a Bryce Young issue.”

“It’s just a decision (Canales) made for the team,” Sanders continued. “Everybody’s on board with it. It’s nothing against Bryce, or what he’s doing. (There was) just something that needed to happen. And this is the change they made.”

Even Baker Mayfield, the former Panther who now starts at quarterback for Tampa Bay, spoke in favor of Young, according to nfl.com.

“… It’s (about) finding that belief in yourself again. He’ll get it,” said Mayfield, who was also a No. 1 overall pick. “His story is far, far from finished.”

A change to the Panthers’ offense was undeniably necessary. Carolina has been outscored 73-13 during its 0-2 start. The offense looked bereft of life and was led by a quarterback who looked as if he’d been robbed of all confidence. Young threw for a career-low 84 yards and one interception for a quarterback rating of 57.2 against the Chargers in Week 2, up from his career-low 32.8 rating in Week 1.

Still, Panthers players around the locker room empathized with Young’s situation — sticking to the refrain that Young is a great quarterback with a great future in the NFL ahead of him, the current situation notwithstanding. “It’s tough for everyone,” said Adam Thielen, the Panthers’ veteran receiver who has been Young’s most consistent and ardent supporter.

“It’s tough for a competitor and athlete. But at the end of the day, you could take it one of two ways: it is what it is. That’s the decision that was made. And you can either take it in a positive way and show up today and sling the ball all over the field like he did today and impress all of us by his character and his leadership.

“It wasn’t by chance that he’s a captain of this football team. It was not just a handout, that ‘C’ on his jersey. That was a voted on thing. So he proved that today by his leadership, his character — by just coming out there and doing exactly what he’s supposed to do.”

Said offensive lineman Taylor Moton: “I believe that Bryce is a tremendous quarterback, tremendous person. Hard worker. You know, I’m not a fortune teller. I don’t know what the future holds for him. But I do know that the way that he works, that type of kid, I know he’ll be OK.”

That opinion, too, was shared by Canales himself on Wednesday. The first-year head coach, who was hired by the Panthers in large part on the back of his ability to rejuvenate quarterbacks, said that Young looked focused and determined at practice Wednesday. He added that Young will throw to help the scout defense but that his individual work will stay the same.