The 2023 number one overall NFL draft pick, Bryce Young, has been benched by the Carolina Panthers for veteran quarterback Andy Dalton. Dalton, who has spent most of his 14-year career with the Bengals, has been playing his best football in a long time in the absence of Bryce Young. However, many people still think that Bryce Young is a good NFL quarterback and should still have the starting job.
“I really think [Bryce Young is] a good quarterback, he just needs better receivers and an offensive line”, eighth grader Aldo Reyes said.
On draft day in 2023, Bryce Young was supposedly an easy choice at quarterback. The Panthers traded their perennial 1,000 yard wide receiver D.J. Moore to the Chicago Bears plus other draft picks for the first overall pick in the draft, a lot for a player who was forced to ride the bench a year later. To add insult to injury, one of the picks the Panthers traded away was used on corner back Tyrique Stevenson. The cornerback is one position Carolina desperately needs, and they could’ve had a very solid one in Stevenson.
It’s clear that Carolina really thought of Bryce Young as the savior that could lead them to the promised land. However, they didn’t put the right pieces around him to succeed.
“He’s a good quarterback that was misused,” Woodcreek Middle School coach Jeremy Burkhalter said.
Over the past years, there seems to be more pressure on young quarterbacks, especially high draft picks, to succeed instantly in the league. This is something seen in professional, college, high school, and even middle school football, because the quarterback is the heart and soul of any football team of any age.
Peyton Manning threw 28 interceptions as a rookie on the Indianapolis Colts. If an NFl franchise sees those kinds of numbers today, he’s never playing another down for that team. Manning, however, played 14 more seasons and won 5 NFL MVP awards and a Super Bowl.
A rebuild is a long process in the NFL. Teams should get their franchise quarterback, add pieces in free agency or later rounds of the draft, and work their way to the top. The sad thing is that many of these quarterbacks who get benched or cut will never find another place in the league.
An example of this is former NFl quarterback Josh Rosen, who was selected 10th overall by the Arizona Cardinals. He was given no help other than an aging Larry Fitzgerald. He threw more interceptions than touchdowns and was traded to the Miami Dolphins. He never found another place in the NFL.
Some however, don’t fit this mold, like Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield. Smith had an abysmal first few years as a member of the New York Jets, and consequently became a backup quarterback. It wasn’t until the 2022 season where he found his footing in Seattle. Mayfield’s story was even more difficult; Smith was never truly out of the NFL in his career. It was only when the Los Angeles Rams dealt with injury troubles that Mayfield got another chance. He never really got another chance in Los Angeles, but he rebuilt his reputation and is looking like he will lead the Buccaneers to another playoff appearance.
But even they were given a few years to prove themselves. Caleb Williams will have a few years to prove himself in Chicago, but he has weapons at his disposal, like wide receivers Keenan Allen and D.J. Moore. Young was given little time with a bad team.
“If I were the coach, I’d probably not bench him because that’s just taking playing time. And it’s not just him. They don’t have a good offensive line nor receiver core,” Reyes added.
Some think of Dalton as a mentor Young can learn under and develop until he is ready to start.
“Bench him and let him learn through videos and meetings, and wait ‘til we have a good offensive line and run game,” Coach Burkhalter added.
Bryce Young just needs a good coaching staff and the right people around him to succeed as an NFL quarterback, because he certainly has the potential to do so.
