5 Carolina Panthers on the hot seat entering Week 3 at the Raiders

Adam Thielen - Carolina Panthers WR

Adam Thielen's frustrations got the better of him in Week 2. The veteran wide receiver was seen shouting after failing to get the football when open downfield. He's not the diva type, but this probably didn't go unnoticed by the primary decision-makers when it came to deciding Bryce Young's fate.

Dave Canales prevented further locker room dissension by removing Young from the No. 1 spot in favor of Andy Dalton. The signal-caller and Thielen combined for almost 150 receiving yards during his last start in Week 3 of the 2023 season. They're hoping for the same output again at the Las Vegas Raiders.

Thielen needs to step up. He wanted better distribution and the Carolina Panthers believe Dalton provides that. The ceiling isn't exactly high where the TCU product is concerned given his advancing years, so he'll need plenty of assistance from his primary pass-catchers.

If Thielen cannot produce the goods, Dalton fails to meet modest targets, and the Panthers fall to 0-3, a conversation needs to be had about how much longer they resist the urge to trade him.

Dave Canales - Carolina Panthers HC

Dave Canales made the first big-boy decision of his head coaching tenure by benching quarterback Bryce Young. He put the team first and feels like this gives them the best chance to win right now. It's a monumental gamble that must go right to avoid any unnecessary speculation about his future.

That would be an asinine statement for any organization so early into his time in the role. Not for the Panthers, who've gone through head coaches like seasonal jackets since David Tepper bought the franchise from Jerry Richardson. Just how much input the billionaire had in Young going to the sidelines is debatable, but he's unlikely to have been an innocent bystander.

Morale around the organization is low and the Panthers have received scathing criticism from every angle this week. Canales knows the only way to turn the tide is by winning. That all starts this weekend at the Las Vegas Raiders.

Canales is under a greater microscope after a turbulent week. He seems to be feeling the strain a little, no longer displaying the happy-go-lucky, enthusiastic persona fans got used to during the offseason. That better not transition to the sidelines in Carolina's first contest of 2024 without Young under center.

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