Bryce Young came into Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints with his long-term aspirations hanging by a thread. Things look more promising now after his best performance in some time.
Speculation was rising about whether this would be Young's final chance to prove his worth. The Carolina Panthers were protecting Andy Dalton, who seemed pretty confident about being under center in Week 10 versus the New York Giants. That might still be the case when one considers how non-commital head coach Dave Canales was when probed about the situation following his second win.
Canales was quick to praise Young, who grew in confidence and proved he could execute more expansive play-calls when given the chance. However, the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator added that there needs to be a process before committing one way or another to his starting quarterback next time out.
"He came up big in some critical moments and gave us an opportunity a couple of times. Just proud of the step that he took again. He's taken all the things we're asking him to do, getting us to the right place at the right time. So, a great step. We'll take in all the information, watch the film. We've got a process. We've got to make sure we look at all this stuff."Dave Canales via ESPN
This drew the ire of some fans on social media following the game. Many believe that the Panthers are getting nothing by starting Dalton, who's 37 years old and not part of the team's long-term plans. Young might not be either, but his encouraging display versus the Saints was another sign that all hope is not lost just yet.
Carolina Panthers must start Bryce Young after impressive Week 9
Things should become clearer in the coming hours. Canales and his staff will watch the film, examine the upcoming opposition for their international game in Germany, and make a decision. He might even announce it during his media availability on Monday afternoon.
Canales should be smart enough to know that removing Young from the equation isn't in the team's best interests right now. He's been a model professional after being benched. He's seized the chance to start again and improved. That should be rewarded accordingly.
It wasn't perfect, but there were signs of life. The Panthers need to ride this experiment out over the second half of 2024 and go from there. Throwing Dalton back into the mix solves nothing. It only exasperates an ongoing complication at football's most important position.
Veteran teammates are rallying around Young. They know what he's been through and know how hard he's been working to change his concerning trajectory. Again, this should not go unnoticed by Canales when push comes to shove.
Young will have a sterner test next time out versus the New York Giants, who boast an exceptional defensive front. However, looking at the way Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels carved them open even without running back Brian Robinson Jr. to depend upon, the former Alabama star has nothing to fear.
If Young starts and gains another morale-boosting triumph, who knows what the future might hold for a player written off by almost everybody after a disastrous opening to his professional journey.