Carolina Panthers elevate Bryce Young to starting quarterback

The Panthers ushered in a new era when they selected Bryce Young first overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, and it looks like his time as Carolina’s starting quarterback will come sooner rather than later.

The former Alabama Crimson Tide star had been behind veteran Andy Dalton on the Panthers’ depth chart to begin his time in the NFL, but that’s no longer the case. As David Newton of ESPN reported on Thursday, Carolina has elevated Young to the top quarterback on their roster.

“The Carolina Panthers have elevated rookie Bryce Youngto the No. 1 quarterback spot, a move coach Frank Reich said Thursday is ‘the next step’ in the top pick of this year’s draft becoming the Week 1 starter,” wrote Newton. “While Young, as planned, had gotten more reps than veteran Andy Dalton with the first team during the first two weeks of voluntary offseason workouts, Dalton was listed as the starter and began each drill with the first unit.

“That changed this week as the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner continued to show he had earned the respect of teammates and performed at a level worthy of getting first-team reps.”

As far as Panthers head coach Frank Reich’s take on the matter, the first-year Carolina leader explained that it’s a natural progression, and that Young is more than ready for the gig.

“It’s just the next step,” Reich said, via Newton. “We had a couple of weeks to watch Andy. Andy has continued to perform at a very high level. We’re just trying to get our team ready.

“Everything is about what’s best for our team, and so this was just the next step.”

More on Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers’ offseason

Continuing, the Carolina Panthers made a lot of moves this offseason, many of which will likely benefit their new quarterback Bryce Young. Aside from trading up for Young, the signing of Dalton will allow Young to learn under the wing of a 12-year NFL veteran quarterback who has made 162 career starts.

The Panthers also surrounded Young with some offensive weapons this offseason, signing multiple players that will likely help in his rookie year. Carolina signed running back Miles Sanders fresh off of the best season of his career in Philadelphia a season ago where he rushed for 1,269 yards all the way to the Super Bowl.

They also signed veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen and tight end Hayden Hurst as two reliable pass catchers for Young. Carolina also drafted former Ole Miss wideout Jonathan Mingo with their second-round draft pick this year, giving the Panthers enough firepower to potentially make some noise in 2023. 

On3’s Kaiden Smith contributed to this article.