As Big Cat says (and I try to give him credit every time I use it), dysfunctional teams do dysfunctional things.
The Panthers are currently dysfunctional. And they’ve been doing plenty of dysfunctional things.
Most recently, they pulled the plug on quarterback Bryce Young, sending him to the bench after only 18 regular-season games. While the final decision — regardless of who actually made it — might have been necessary to avoiding a full-blown implosion of the locker room, it’s the culmination of a toxic stew stirred by owner David Tepper.
So what happens next for Young? Coach Dave Canales has said the Panthers aren’t considering trading the first pick in the 2023 draft. They nevertheless should be.
If they/Tepper have decided Young isn’t the guy, get value for the balance of his contract and move on. They/Tepper tried. It didn’t work. To the team’s credit, they/Tepper admitted the mistake in lieu of doubling down.
And they/Tepper didn’t couch the benching as a temporary break or whatever the Jets did when they/Woody sat Zach Wilson during his second season. By all appearances (when viewed through the lens of a properly functioning franchise), the Panthers are done with Young.
If so, they/Tepper should do the right thing by Bryce Young and trade him. Yes, they hold his contractual rights. As if he had any say in the matter. They drafted him. They enhanced the pressure and expectations that come from being the first overall pick by giving up plenty (including the pick that became Caleb Williams) to get him.
They/Tepper believed. Now, they/Tepper don’t. In that case, let the kid try to salvage his career.
Trade him, like the 49ers traded Trey Lance after it became clear that Brock Purdy was the guy. Don’t squat on Young for another year because he’s under a wage-scale rookie deal. If you don’t believe in him, give him a chance to hit the reset button.
Alas, dysfunctional teams are obsessed with things that don’t matter, such as how it might look if Young ends up playing well elsewhere. Look at the Jets. They look foolish for how they mishandled Geno Smith and Sam Darnold, both of whom are finding a much higher level of performance elsewhere.
The Panthers shouldn’t allow such petty concerns to influence their handling of Young. They/Tepper tried. They/Tepper failed. Give the kid a fresh start, even if it means he fulfills elsewhere the potential that prompted them/Tepper to trade up for him.
