Panthers HC: Bryce Young Won't Be Benched for Andy Dalton amid NFL's Worst Record

Despite owning the NFL's worst record at 1-9, Carolina Panthers head coach Frank Reich isn't planning on benching rookie quarterback Bryce Young for veteran signal-caller Andy Dalton.

"No consideration of that," Reich told reporters on Monday (per Darin Gantt of panthers.com).

The former No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft struggled in Carolina's 33-10 loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 11, throwing for just 123 yards while tossing one touchdown to go along with one interception.

In nine career starts, Young has completed 62.1 percent of his passes for 1,683 yards while throwing nine touchdowns to go along with eight picks. He's added another 138 yards on the ground.

While a rookie quarterback struggling in their first season is far from a shocking development, it doesn't help that Houston Texans first-year passer C.J. Stroud has already begun to look like one of the best signal-callers in the NFL. The No. 2 overall pick has led the Texans to a 6-4 record, throwing 17 touchdowns against just five interceptions.

However, it's important to consider the supporting cast around Young. He's been sacked 36 times this season, the third-highest mark in the league. Carolina's defense is also allowing 27.5 points per game, the second-worst average in the NFL.

Although 33-year-old wideout Adam Thielen has put together a bounce-back year, no other Panthers receiver has at least 230 yards in 2023.

While he hasn't gotten off to the strong start that many expected, numbers don't tell the full story when it comes to Young.

"You know, looking back on this tape, he did a lot of good things," Reich said (via Gantt). "It's important for him and for us; he's our leader, he's our leader on offense, and he's going to help us get to where we want to go."