Andy Dalton: Panthers setting Bryce Young up to 'have a better year'

Andy Dalton is the veteran quarterback with the Panthers. But his main job last season was to mentor Bryce Young, the top pick in the NFL Draft.

The entire Carolina team endured a rocky, two-win season. And that season included a coaching change right at Thanksgiving. Young probably self-absorbed much of the blame. Dalton, the 36-year-old former TCU star, always shared the same message with him. No matter how bad it gets, “stay the course.”

However, in year two, the Panthers look like a better team, thanks to some key hires and signings. Dalton still is in Carolina as Young’s backup. He did an interview with the Jim Rome show this week and offered some observations about Young, the former Alabama star and Heisman Trophy winner.

“I thought he handled it well, and I kept telling him, ‘Just stay the course. This thing is going to get better, it’s going to improve,’” Dalton said. “And I think what we have done this offseason, bringing in some guys, bringing in a couple guards on the offensive line, you know, different things, trading for Diontae Johnson, I think it’s getting built the right way where, yeah, it’s going to set him up to have a better year.”

Panthers hired quarterback-friendly new head coach

The main change came at head coach, when the Panthers hired Dave Canales. The former Tampa Bay offensive coordinator helped mold the comebacks of quarterbacks Baker Mayfield and Geno Smith. Then Carolina used free agency to address some needs along the offensive line. They signed guards Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis. The contracts of the two guards total $150 million.

Then the Panthers traded with the Steelers for receiver Diontae Johnson. And if Young needs him, Dalton can be a sounding board or the guy who fills in for him.

Young received a similar message last season from Adam Thielen, the Panthers’ top offensive weapon in 2023. The receiver said Young was in a no-win situation as a rookie.

“Yeah, well, I’ll say this: I mean, I think everything was stacked against him last year, unfortunately,” Thielen said during an interview on Good Morning Football.  “And I’m not gonna get into detail as to why that was. But I’m just really excited for him to have a fresh start, an ability to have a good coaching staff that’s gonna put a good plan together to help him be successful, and also to put people around him to help him be successful.”