Bryce Young's future as the Carolina Panthers' starting quarterback next season is secure. That didn't prevent one NFL analyst from touting a ludicrously tone-deaf trade possibility that makes no sense whatsoever.
The Panthers have hitched their wagon to Young. That's the least he deserved after demonstrating tremendous improvements over the second half of 2024. It took longer than some anticipated, but the No. 1 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft looked like a franchise-caliber quarterback at long last.
Dave Canales and Dan Morgan never lost faith in Young despite his benching after just two games. They are confident he can flourish further after finally regaining confidence. But his young pass-catchers must meet their end of the bargain.
Carolina Panthers linked with inexplicable trade for Dak Prescott
That's not an opinion shared by everyone. Anthony Palacios from Last Word on Sports proclaimed the Panthers as a potential landing spot for Dallas Cowboys signal-caller Dak Prescott. Something the analyst believed could get Carolina into the postseason picture.
"While head coach Dave Canales has faith in quarterback Bryce Young again, it doesn’t mean his job is necessarily safe. It shouldn’t be surprising if the Panthers draft a quarterback this year. The same can be said about the Panthers trading for a quarterback like [Dak] Prescott. He has the arm and athletic ability to get this team to at least a postseason run, something the Panthers have been struggling for the past decade."Anthony Palacios
This is an asinine notion in more ways than one.
Prescott is coming off a serious injury. He's never been capable of getting the Cowboys over the hump. His regular-season production remains strong, but something is missing when the competition gets more intense.
The Cowboys would be extremely reluctant sellers even if the Panthers wanted him. Jerry Jones placed his faith in the former Mississippi State standout once again this offseason. The erratic owner/general manager still thinks he can lead them back to prominence, although that's easier said than done with Jayden Daniels and Jalen Hurts residing within their division.
Then, there's the compensation. Acquiring Prescott wouldn't be cheap. It would take substantial draft resources to bring him into the fold. This doesn't fit into Dan Morgan's current ethos.
If that wasn't enough, there are also financial stumbling blocks. Prescott signed a megabucks extension last offseason that has four more years left. His cap numbers are eye-watering — something the Panthers cannot afford right now.
Just why this topic came up is anyone's guess. Young might not work out, but trading for someone like Prescott is absolutely out of the question. After all, rash trades for band-aid quarterback solutions are one of the big reasons Carolina descended into a laughingstock under previous regimes.
It's speculation season, of course. But this one was a step into a different realm of absurdness.