Report: Bryce Young Becoming 'More Vocal' After Panthers Benching for Andy Dalton

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young has reportedly taken on a larger leadership role with his team since spending five weeks benched in favor of Andy Dalton.

Young, who took over as QB1 in Week 8, is now "learning how to become more vocal and showing more command and urgency," according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

One Panthers source told Fowler that Young had improved at reading defenses, then "getting it out of his brain and to others."

According to Fowler, sources said sitting behind Dalton "was crucial for the second-year quarterback's development."

Young has completed 60 percent of his passes over the last five weeks as starter, throwing for 1,082 yards with six touchdowns and three interceptions while adding another touchdown on the ground.

He looked noticeably more confident over that stretch than in Weeks 1 and 2 when he recorded one rushing touchdown while the Panthers scored 13 combined points in a pair of season-opening losses.

Panthers head coach Dave Canales said when benching Young ahead of Week 3 that the 23-year-old was "absolutely" still the team's franchise quarterback, and that the team was "not really considering" the possibility of trading him.

Young got the nod to start against the Denver Broncos in Week 8 after Andy Dalton injured his thumb in a car accident.

The second-year quarterback started out the game with the first opening-drive touchdown of his NFL career. But the Broncos ultimately dominated, and Canales declined to commit to Young as the starting quarterback going forward.

Young recorded the first game-winning touchdown drive of his career in Week 9 against the New Orleans Saints. He said after the game he felt he had become more comfortable since watching Dalton start from the sidelines.

"Just being more comfortable in the system. Spending all the time just watching and growing, trying to take mental reps, and really trying to just take ownership of the system," Young said.

Young was tapped again to start in Week 10 in Munich, where the Panthers won consecutive games for the first time since the 2022 season.

When announcing the quarterback's fourth straight start ahead of Week 12 against the Kansas City Chiefs, Canales said the choice to keep Young in the QB1 spot was "about the continued progress and Bryce looking more and more confident."

After the Panthers lost, but were competitive, against the reigning Super Bowl champions, Canales named Young next week's starter in a postgame press conference for the first time since Week 3.

Canales' growing confidence in Young paid off. The Panthers' 26-23 Week 13 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday marked the first time Young had thrown for at least 250 yards in two straight games.

Young has a career record of 4-19 heading into Sunday's Week 14 road game against the Philadelphia Eagles, but the progress he has shown this season could be giving Canales and the Panthers hope he is taking the next step in his development as a potential franchise quarterback.