Bryce Young's Top Hypothetical Trade Landing Spots After Being Benched by Panthers

In a surprising move, the Carolina Panthers are benching second-year quarterback and 2023 No. 1 pick Bryce Young for their Week 3 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Veteran quarterback Andy Dalton will get the start on Sunday in hopes of ending the early-season skid for the 0-2 Panthers. Head coach Dave Canales had previously declared, "Bryce is our quarterback," but he ultimately opted to make a change amid the 23-year-old's ongoing struggles.

While it would be highly unusual for a former No. 1 overall pick to be traded in their second year in the NFL, let's take a look at some of the top landing spots for Young if Carolina decided to cut ties with him sooner rather than later.

New York Giants

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EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - AUGUST 18: Quarterbacks Bryce Young #9 of the Carolina Panthers and Daniel Jones #8 of the New York Giants hug after their preseason football game at MetLife Stadium on August 18, 2023 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Giants defeated the Giants 21-19. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)

The New York Giants are in need of a quarterback of the future, as Daniel Jones has struggled to live up to his contract.

It was just two years ago that the Giants rewarded Jones with a four-year, $160 million deal. A torn ACL limited him to six games in 2023, and he has struggled to find consistency through the first two games of this season. New York can move on from him after this season, as there is no guaranteed money remaining on his contract after this year.

The Giants are likely to be in the running for a top-three pick in the 2025 draft, so acquiring Young would give them the opportunity to address another area of need with an impact player. Learning under Brian Daboll could be helpful for the Alabama product, as Daboll made a name for himself by developing Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen into the superstar we see today.

If he picks up the offense quickly, Young could even challenge Jones for the starting quarterback position later this year. Daboll likely would welcome the opportunity to get some new energy under center as New York tries to secure a better outlook for the future.

Las Vegas Raiders

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CHARLOTTE, NC - SEPTEMBER 15: Bryce Young #9 of the Carolina Panthers warms up before a football game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Bank of America Stadium on September 15, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by David Jensen/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

When Young watches Sunday's game against the Raiders from the bench, he will be getting a good look at a situation that would be tailor-made for him.

Las Vegas appears to be done with the Aidan O'Connell experiment after naming veteran Gardner Minshew the starter for the 2024 season. While the team isn't expected to contend for a title anytime soon, Minshew proved he can be effective by helping lead the team to an upset win over the Baltimore Ravens in Week 2.

In addition to learning under a seasoned veteran in Minshew, Young would benefit from the presence of one of the best receivers of his generation, Davante Adams. The six-time Pro Bowler would surely make life easier for the young signal-caller as he finds his footing in the NFL.

Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce has instilled an old-school attitude into the franchise since taking over, so Young would be surrounded by tough players who can accelerate his development.

Pittsburgh Steelers

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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - SEPTEMBER 08: Bryce Young #9 of the Carolina Panthers looks on prior to playing the New Orleans Saints at Caesars Superdome on September 08, 2024 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

The Pittsburgh Steelers are becoming the hub for quarterback reclamation projects.

The team welcomed a pair of new signal-callers this offseason in Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. Wilson was named the starter but went down with a calf injury, forcing Fields to step in for the first two games of the year.

Despite a lackluster first three years in the NFL, Fields has been solid in Pittsburgh so far and led the team to a 2-0 start. The 25-year-old is completing 69.8 percent of his passes and has yet to commit a turnover this year.

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has proven to be one of the best coaches in the NFL, so developing Young would be a welcome challenge for him. Young could take over as Pittsburgh's starter in 2025 and prove why he was worth the No. 1 pick in last year's draft.