The Chicago Bears engineered the biggest trade in franchise history last year when they sent the #1 overall pick to the Carolina Panthers for wide receiver D.J. Moore, the #9 pick, a 2nd round pick, a future 1st round pick, and a future 2nd round pick. The Bears have since turned that package into Darnell Wright, Tyrique Stevenson, and Caleb Williams. They still have another 2nd rounder in the upcoming 2025 draft. Carolina used the #1 pick on Alabama quarterback Bryce Young.
Barely over a year later, many believe that trade could be the single biggest heist in modern NFL history. Young only started 18 games for the Panthers before new head coach Dave Canales benched him in favor of Andy Dalton. The fact Dalton immediately threw for 300 yards and three touchdowns in his first start wasn’t a great look for the former Crimson Tide star. If that weren’t bad enough, ESPN just released its rankings of the best backup quarterbacks in the NFL. Bears fans will love this one.
“24. Tyson Bagent, Chicago Bears
25. Jarrett Stidham, Denver Broncos
26. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
Young is just 17 months removed from being the No. 1 overall pick in the draft and therefore still has upside. But he’s a weakness right now considering his poor rookie season, disastrous first two starts of 2024 (QBR of 9.1) and the way Andy Dalton made that same offense hum immediately in a Week 3 win over the Raiders.”
Don’t forget they signed Tyson Bagent as an undrafted free agent last year, the same time Young went #1 overall. For Bagent to already be ranked as a superior quarterback after less than two seasons should tell you how bad things have gotten. Already, Carolina has received calls about trading Young. They have dismissed the idea, maintaining hope they might still be able to salvage him. Taking time to learn behind a proven veteran like Dalton might be helpful.
The problem is his confidence is badly shaken. History shows it is almost impossible to recover it when that happens. Quarterbacks never look the same as when they came out of college. The NFL has a way of humbling you really fast if your support system isn’t up to the task. Chicago knows this reality well. Now it seems Carolina is getting a taste with Bryce Young.
