Saints vs. Panthers: More Clarity On Each Team's Quarterback Situation

Both the Saints and Panthers provided updated information about their quarterback situations heading into Week 9 matchup.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (4) calls signals against the Carolina Panthers / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Mired in a six-game losing streak, the 2-6 New Orleans Saints travel to face the 1-7 Carolina Panthers this Sunday. The Saints got some good news on the injury front on Wednesday when starting quarterback Derek Carr returned to full practice duties for the first time since being injured in Week 5.

It's not completely clear whether Carr will be in the starting lineup against Carolina. That will be dependent on practice through Thursday and Friday. Assuming there are no setbacks, Carr will almost certainly resume starting duties.

While there isn't 100% certainty around who the New Orleans quarterback will be, there was far more clarification on who will be taking the snaps for the Panthers.

On Wednesday, Carolina coach Dave Canales told reporters that QB Bryce Young will be the team's starter against New Orleans. Veteran quarterback and former Saint Andy Dalton (thumb/hand) was listed as a full participant in practice on Wednesday after missing last week's start because of a car accident. Despite this, Dalton will be Young's backup against the Saints in Week 9.

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) is sacked by New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Nathan Shepherd (93) / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The first overall choice in last year's draft out of Alabama, Young started 16 of 17 games for the Panthers as a rookie with a 2-14 record. He completed 59.8% of his passes in those outings for 2,877 yards with 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while getting sacked 62 times.

Young started the first two contests this season before being benched for Dalton. He'd return to the lineup last week with Dalton unavailable and has lost all three of his starts on the year. So far this season, Young has an identical 59.8% completion percentage with 523 yards, 2 touchdowns, 5 interceptions, and nine sacks against him.

Bryce Young has started three games against New Orleans. He's been sacked 12 times while completing only 48.5% of his passes for an average of just 150.3 yards per game with one touchdown and two interceptions. In a 47-10 loss to the Saints to start this season, Young completed 13 of 30 passes for 161 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions while getting sacked four times.

Carolina comes into Week 9 with the league's 29th ranked offense. The Panthers are 30th in passing production and 25th in rushing yardage. They've been held to fewer than 20 points in six of their eight outings this year.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (4) throws a pass on the move against the Carolina Panthers / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Carr, 33, has been out of the lineup since injuring an oblique muscle in the fourth quarter of a Week 5 loss at Kansas City. The 11-year veteran had completed 70.3% of his throws for 989 yards with 8 touchdowns and 4 interceptions over the first five games.

With Carr in the lineup, the Saints scored 140 points for an average of 28 points per game, albeit 91 of those were scored in the first two weeks. Since Carr has been sidelined, New Orleans has scored 45 points in three weeks for an average of only 15 per outing.

In three games against the Panthers while with the Saints, all wins, Carr has completed 68.2% of his throws for an average of 182.3 yards per game with five touchdowns and two interceptions. During the 47-10 thrashing of the Panthers in Week 1, Carr completed 19 of 23 passes for 200 yards and three touchdowns without an interception.