Bryce Young was anticipating another week of running the scout team before standing on the sidelines in Week 8 at the Denver Broncos. Life moves fast in the NFL, something the quarterback found out first-hand after being thrust into the limelight once again.
Andy Dalton sprained his thumb during a car accident this week. Thankfully it was nothing more serious and his family is okay, but it forced head coach Dave Canales to once again install Young as the starting signal-caller versus a formidable Broncos defense.
The timing is terrible considering how well Vance Joseph's defense has performed through seven weeks. They are a relentless pass-rushing force capable of wreaking havoc on anybody. This represents another difficult challenge for Young, so he must dig deep and maximize what could be his last opportunity.
Carolina Panthers veterans reaffirm faith in Bryce Young before Week 8
Veteran teammates rallied around Young after the news was confirmed. Jadeveon Clowney - another former No. 1 overall selection who came in for some early career criticism - offered the Heisman Trophy winner some useful advice. This centered on focusing on himself and putting in the time to improve.
"Just continue to believe in himself. You know what got you here. You know how to play football. You were the No. 1 overall pick for a reason. Just continue to believe in yourself and keep the haters away. They there, you know? You're gonna always have them. I think I've had them all my career, but I continue to believe in myself and know that I can do this. Put the work in every day and it got me 11 years in the league. He just needs time."Jadeveon Clowney via X
As a No. 1 pick himself, Jadeveon Clowney can empathize with what Bryce Young has gone through. He told him to keep believing in himself and keep the haters away. pic.twitter.com/djyfEoULPh
— Joe Person (@josephperson) October 23, 2024
Young knows his situation. He knows that there isn't much faith in him from Canales' standpoint despite his hollow claims of excitement about seeing him get another opportunity. He also knows that this is a fine-margin situation that demands nothing but excellence in difficult circumstances.
Dalton threw his support behind Young, as they've done for each other over the last two seasons. The veteran believes that watching things from a different perspective after the humbling benching he received two games into the season. That could enable some growth in the face of stern opposition.
"I've said that every week, every time that anybody asked me about how it's been. He's handled this whole situation really well, and I'm so thankful for it. I'm so thankful for our friendship and what we've been able to build. Bryce has done a lot of really good things since being here. I think for him, you get a different perspective when you're not the one in there. So, I definitely think there's things that he's, being in the position that he's been in, see things and grow from it."Andy Dalton via Panthers.com
Young is entering the last-chance saloon. The most important thing above all else is the signal-caller playing with a sense of freedom and Canales not being too restrictive from a play-calling standpoint. It's not like the Panthers have anything to lose by taking risks and giving Denver's defense something they're not necessarily anticipating.
Whether Dalton will be in the backup role or not remains to be seen. Either way, this is a critical scenario for Young. One that could determine his long-term future with the franchise.
One of the biggest reasons why Carolina chose Young over C.J. Stroud was his demeanor and ability to process information quickly. His confidence might not be the highest, but it's time to lean on these traits and remind the world why he was such a highly-touted prospect.
Nothing else will do.