Bryce Young Rumors: Panthers Expected to Start QB This Year amid Benching, Trade Buzz

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young "will be back" in the starting role at some point this season, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

Rapoport reported the elevation of Andy Dalton in the depth chart "is viewed as a timeout for Young, not a season-long benching."

This comes after ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Saturday night that Young has been the subject of trade interest around the NFL.

"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 actually does complete a deal involving the second-year quarterback — with the most likely time coming at some point in the offseason," he wrote.

Schefter also echoed Rapoport's reporting when he said the Panthers "believe there is a chance they could turn to Young again later this season."

Head coach Dave Canales told reporters earlier in the week that Young can "absolutely" grow into a franchise quarterback, while adding a trade is "not something we're really considering."

Still, plenty of fans are wondering whether the 2023 No. 1 overall pick is effectively on his way out. The only question is when his exit comes.

Rapoport cited the Green Bay Packers' Jordan Love, Minnesota Vikings' Sam Darnold and Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Baker Mayfield as examples of quarterbacks "who took more than a minute to become true starters."

None of the three is all that applicable to Young's situation, though.

Love was stuck behind a future Hall of Famer in Aaron Rodgers, which is why he didn't get the keys to the offense until his fourth season. Mayfield was the runner-up for Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2018 and started four years for the Cleveland Browns before they moved on. Even Darnold at least had ample time to justify the New York Jets' investment in him amid a disappointing start to his career.

Given what has happened, Young is much closer to the Denver Broncos' Zach Wilson or free agent Josh Rosen on the developing QB scale.

The Arizona Cardinals traded Rosen in 2019, just one year after using a top-10 pick on him, and that was pretty much it for him in the league. Like Young, Wilson was benched midway through his second year with the Jets and the writing was on the wall at that point.

It's not hard to envision a scenario in which the Panthers are compelled to make another quarterback change. Dalton is firmly a journeyman at this point, and his last start for Carolina saw him finish 34-of-58 for 361 yards and two touchdowns.

But the damage has been done at this point in terms of the perception around Young. The team will have an uphill climb if it intends to sell the idea that a few weeks on the bench have magically solved the issues that were limiting him on the field.