NFL insider offers potential Carolina Panthers' timeline for Bryce Young trade

As Bryce Young gets set to watch Week 3's game at the Las Vegas Raiders from the sidelines as Andy Dalton's backup, speculation continues to rise about his future. The Carolina Panthers took him out of the firing line after a woeful start to the campaign. That led many to wonder whether the No. 1 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft would be heading out of the door sooner rather than later.

That's going to leave the Panthers short of options, especially if Dalton cannot maximize his starting chance. Dave Canales stated moving Young wasn't in the team's thought process currently and the player is looking to take this as a learning tool en route to better fortunes in the coming years. But it's a precarious situation considering the broken trust on both sides.

Carolina Panthers have received trade interest for Bryce Young after benching

Adam Schefter from ESPN stated that several teams have come forward with an inquiry about Young's availability since his benching. The respected insider - citing sources from around the league - thought it was just a matter of time before the franchise and the signal-caller went their separate ways. Potentially during the offseason.

"Several teams have expressed an interest in trading for quarterback Bryce Young, despite the fact coach Dave Canales said the Carolina Panthers do not intend to trade the former No. 1 overall pick, league sources told ESPN. The Panthers have been contacted by certain teams, according to league sources, while other teams have mulled a Young trade within their own organizations. Although the Panthers have said they don't plan to trade Young at this time, sources around the league believe it is only a matter of time before Carolina completes a deal involving the second-year quarterback -- with the most likely time coming at some point in the offseason."

- Adam Schefter, ESPN

This makes sense, in all honesty. It gives Young a chance to show he's salvageable and potentially earn his starting spot back this season. It also provides the Panthers with an opportunity to potentially look at the quarterbacks emerging from the college ranks before forming some long-term plans.

It's a less-than-ideal situation. The Panthers mortgaged their future for Young atop the draft, overlooking the likes of C.J. Stroud and Anthony Richardson along the way. They threw the Heisman Trophy winner into a toxic situation that damaged his confidence beyond repair. Not even an improved offensive line and a progressive young head coach could improve matters.

Giving up on Young so soon into the campaign was a damning indictment of Carolina's current situation and its inability to successfully evaluate or develop players. The move took the former Alabama standout by surprise, but his performances were nowhere near good enough. The new regime couldn't afford another campaign spiraling into embarrassment. If that meant taking severe criticism and ridicule by changing quarterbacks, so be it.

The Panthers are never going to get what they gave up for the privilege of drafting Young. There have been reports about a fourth-round pick being the compensation, which seems low. If general manager Dan Morgan managed to get a second-rounder during negotiations, it's a different story.

Either way, this once-promising marriage is shattered. One doesn't have to look far across NFL history to see what comes next.

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