Bryce Young is slated to start his third consecutive game for the Carolina Panthers.
Panthers head coach Dave Canales told reporters Wednesday that Young would start the team’s Week 10 game against the New York Giants in Germany.
“Bryce will be starting this week. This is about the progress from one week to the next. And then, I preach finish. I talk about finish all the time. Finish everything,” Canales said. “Finish plays, drives, quarters, halves, and finish games. He did a fantastic job of finishing that game the right way.”
Young is coming off a Week 9 performance in which he led a game-winning touchdown drive to cap off a 23-22 victory over the New Orleans Saints. It was the first game-winning touchdown drive of Young’s career.
The second-year quarterback went 16-of-26 passing for 171 yards, with one touchdown and one interception.
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“Finding throws down the field. A lot of it is chemistry with the guys he’s been working with and finding completions and some really cool explosive plays that showed up in the game,” Canales said of Young. “Just the steps forward, the progress, and then the finish. That’s what we look for. We look for that finish.”
Why didn’t Panthers trade Bryce Young before trade deadline?
The Panthers said all along that they have a plan for the former No. 1 overall pick, Young.
Young, who was benched following the Panthers Week 2 loss and returned to the starting lineup in Week 8 after veteran quarterback Andy Dalton sprained his right thumb in a car accident, maybe didn’t have a prototypical repromotion. But he’s made positive strides as a signal-caller.
The Alabama product improved his decision-making and accuracy during his last two starts. His quarterback ratings in Week 8 (76.9) and Week 9 (77.6) were his best two marks of the year as a starter.
Despite Young’s positive steps forward, Canales didn’t commit to Young for the remainder of the season. The Panthers have a bye in Week 11. Canales and his staff will reassess the quarterback room during the bye week.
“Took all the information and wanted to give him another opportunity to get out there and face the Giants this week in Germany,” Canales said. “Because of the progress he showed, I want to just focus on this week. I want him to play again. This gives us an opportunity with the bye week to take all the information and make another decision after that.”
Should Bryce Young start remainder of season?
The 2-7 Panthers are slated to have a premium pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft.
It will behoove the Panthers to start Young for the remainder of the regular season. The Panthers should want to evaluate as much of Young’s game film as possible so they can decide whether he is their quarterback of the future.
Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.