The Carolina Panthers officially announced their decision to bench sophomore No. 1 overall quarterback Bryce Young earlier this week. On Wednesday, head coach Dave Canales was asked about the possibility of trading his young signal-caller, and reports indicate Young is "pissed" about the situation.
It's difficult to envision a path to repairing the relationship between Young and the Panthers. Benching him in favor of 36-year-old veteran journeyman backup Andy Dalton is borderline insulting. The Panthers aren't developing Young, and it wouldn't be shocking if they drafted a new quarterback in 2025.
We've identified three potential trade partners for Young and the Panthers.
Los Angeles Rams
Injuries have totally derailed the early portion of the Los Angeles Rams' season. High-end starters like Puka Nacua, Jonah Jackson, and Steve Avila have already been placed on IR. Cooper Kupp suffered an injury that's expected to sideline him for multiple weeks.
The winless Rams could be facing the possibility of suffering through a lost campaign. If so, general manager Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay should start considering the future. Starting quarterback Matthew Stafford is 36 years old and there's no obvious succession plan on the roster.
If McVay plans on sticking around, Young would be a young quarterback worth developing. Remember he rehabilitated Baker Mayfield's reputation before that former struggling No. 1 overall QB latched on with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Acquiring Young probably wouldn't cost a premium draft pick, making it a worthwhile gamble for the Rams.
New York Jets
The New York Jets are obviously in win-now mode with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback. They haven't looked like the Super Bowl contenders they think they are and were fortunate to narrowly avoid an 0-2 start after edging out the Tennessee Titans in Week 2. Rodgers has one year remaining on his contract, but there's no guarantee he will return in 2025.
Perhaps general manager Joe Douglas isn't concerned with the future. If these high-priced Jets fail to meet expectations, he probably won't be the decision-maker that oversees the post-Rodgers era. But if Douglas is preparing to remain in East Rutherford for the long haul, acquiring a developmental quarterback like Young could accelerate the eventual rebuild.
Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders executed a shocking upset road victory over the Baltimore Ravens in Week 2. Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew has been a game manager, completing 77.5% of his passing attempts with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Minshew signed a two-year contract earlier this offseason and is obviously a bridge-type option designed to buy the franchise time to find their long-term solution. It's not Minshew and it's probably not Aidan O'Connell either, given the sophomore lost a position battle to Minshew.
The Raiders may be content to ride their current situation until the 2025 NFL Draft, where they'll probably have an opportunity to draft a first-round quarterback like Shedeur Sanders or Quinn Ewers. If general manager Tom Telesco wants to get creative, kicking the tires on Young wouldn't be a bad idea.
*The Miami Dolphins are a fourth team that should consider acquiring Young after placing quarterback Tua Tagovailoa on IR after he suffered another scary-looking concussion.
