Mile High Huddle

Panthers Make QB Change, Will Start Bryce Young vs. Broncos

The former No. 1 overall pick returns to the starting lineup.

Zack Kelberman

Oct 6, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) looks to throw against the Chicago Bears during the fourth quarter at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images
Oct 6, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) looks to throw against the Chicago Bears during the fourth quarter at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images / Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images
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The Carolina Panthers are making a switch under center for their Week 8 contest against the Denver Broncos.

Panthers head coach Dave Canales announced that second-year quarterback Bryce Young — not veteran Andy Dalton — will start Sunday's matchup at Empower Field at Mile High. The move comes after Dalton sustained a thumb injury in a recent car accident, Canales revealed.

"Unfortunately, in the accident, [Dalton] did sprain his thumb," he told reporters Wednesday. "Bryce will be playing this week for us."

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The ballyhooed No. 1 overall pick of the 2023 draft, Young failed to meet expectations during a massively disappointing rookie campaign in which he completed just 59.8% of his passes, had an 11-10 TD:INT ratio, and took the second-most sacks (65) among any NFL QB.

Things went from bad to worse this season for the former Alabama star, who was benched upon throwing for 84 scoreless yards and an interception in a Week 2 loss to the Chargers. Young has yet to toss a touchdown in 2024.

Starting five games in his stead, compiling a 1-4 record, Dalton tallied 989 passing yards with seven TDs and six INTs. The Panthers offense currently ranks 29th in total yards and 28th in scoring.

“It just wasn’t good enough,” Canales said of Dalton's performance following last Sunday's 40-7 defeat at Washington. “That’s true, and he knows that. And so, that’s something, that again, we just gotta be honest about our ‘Tell the Truth Monday’ and look at the things that we can do better from an execution standpoint.”

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Zack Kelberman
ZACK KELBERMAN

Zack Kelberman is the Senior Editor for Mile High Huddle. He has covered the NFL for more than a decade and the Denver Broncos since 2016. He's also the co-host of the wildly popular Broncos show the Mile High Huddle Podcast.

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