Carolina Panthers benching gives Bryce Young career-defining breathing space

This always seemed inevitable. Despite so many positives emerging from the offseason, quarterback Bryce Young was benched by the Carolina Panthers following another inept showing against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 2.

The Panthers feel like their football product would improve with a more productive veteran presence under center. Whether Andy Dalton is that remains to be seen, but the ominous signs were there for all to see where Young was concerned.

Dave Canales outlined the reasoning behind his decision to take Young out of the firing line. He stated that the need to send a message across the roster was evident. The head coach also indicated his belief that removing the No. 1 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft from the starting equation is in the Panthers' best interests for now.

"This is the best decision for our team going forward. I just owe it to all the guys, the coaches, the staff, the players, everybody involved to be really critical about what we put on film, about what I'm seeing and to make sure that I'm constantly making the best decision for the team every week. And it happens to be the quarterback position and so it's loaded that way, but it's every position and it's all the guys. And I was able to stand in front of the team and challenge all the guys that we all have to step up our passion for what we're doing to play."

- Dave Canales via Panthers.com

Canales came into the franchise with a long-term plan and an aligned vision for the future. This decision hints at some pressure to win right now, especially considering how impulsive and unstable David Tepper's been since becoming owner.

Bryce Young's future with the Carolina Panthers is bleaker than ever

Dan Morgan and Brandt Tilis were also on board with the move. Even if it's not exactly what anybody had in mind when the Panthers made a concerted effort to invest around the signal-caller throughout the offseason.

Young was reportedly taken aback by his early benching. It'll no doubt shatter whatever confidence remains. However, this provides the former Alabama star with some career-defining breathing space.

The Heisman Trophy winner was getting criticism from all angles. Young can't shut everything out, but the frustrations from the sidelines against the Chargers left Canales with no other option than to try something different. There was a need to show the locker room that nobody was safe, least of all Carolina's biggest underperforming investment.

How Young responds to this adversity is crucial. He can wallow in self-pity and wait for the Panthers to find a willing suitor before the trade deadline. Or he can use this period to take stock, work on improving the fundamentals that have blighted his time in the league so far, and attempt to build back confidence gradually.

Hopefully, for the Panthers' sake, it will be the latter. Young's skills at the collegiate level haven't transitioned effectively enough to the pros as yet. All hope is not lost, but this is the latest in a series of damning setbacks for the player to begin his NFL journey.

The Panthers have failed Young in every conceivable way after they picked him over C.J. Stroud and Anthony Richardson. Perhaps saving the player from himself might be the best thing they ever do for him.

There's just no telling for sure which way this will go moving forward. That's the saddest thing of all.

More Carolina Panthers news and analysis