Former Panthers QB Baker Mayfield on Bryce Young being benched: ‘His story is far from over’

The Carolina Panthers quarterback situation hasn’t been great in recent history and this year is no exception, with former No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young Had to sit on the bench in the 18th start of his careerYoung went 2-16 over the past two seasons, including 0-2 this year, after which the team decided to move on with veteran Andy Dalton.

The good news for Young is that the last two Panthers quarterbacks who struggled in Carolina and then left the team are currently doing well in their new situations.

Former Panthers quarterbacks Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold, now on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Minnesota Vikings, respectively, are both 2-0 for the start of the 2024 season.

Mayfield and the 23-year-old have a lot in common. Not only did Mayfield spend some time as a starter in Carolina, but he is also a former No. 1 overall pick who struggled during his time in the blue and black.

Mayfield expressed positivity about Young’s future and said it’s all about finding the right system for the quarterback.

“Obviously my incident didn’t happen in the same time period as Bryce, but [being a] Quarterbacking is tough, especially for young guys. When you’re not surrounded by pieces, [you’re] “He hasn’t been given the opportunity to succeed,” Mayfield said when asked how he felt about Young’s current situation. “And so a lot of times guys have the talent, they have the brains, but they don’t have the right opportunity, the right combination.”

Mayfield began his NFL career with the Cleveland Browns, where he went 29-30 as a starter, then briefly joined the Panthers, where he went 1-5. His worst completion percentage (57.8), his worst interception percentage (2.9) and his worst passing success rate (36) came during his time in Carolina. He then spent the rest of the 2022 season with the Los Angeles Rams before joining his current team.

As someone who has struggled and taken a lot of time to find his true footing, Mayfield already knows that staying patient and determined is key.

“I mean, I’m sitting here in a better position right now than I’ve been in other places,” he said. “And that’s not to put down other teams, but it’s a matter of the pieces around you, the coaches, and Bryce, a guy I can relate to, finding that belief within himself again. And he’ll get it.”

Mayfield believes Young, who currently looks like a failed first-round pick, can turn out to be a success story.

“Their story is far from over,” Number 6 said.

The trajectory of Panthers quarterbacks seems to be to struggle in Carolina, then get out there and start winning games again, so there is some hope for Young.

Prior to the benching, Young had no touchdowns, three interceptions and six sacks on 31 of 56 passes this season. Young looked frantic and inept on the field, but the Panthers’ problems aren’t limited to just the guy throwing the ball.

The last Panthers quarterback to finish the year with a winning record as a starter was Cam Newton, who went 9–8 in 2017. Newton is the only Carolina quarterback to post a winning record as a starter (minimum 2 starts) since Jake Delhomme in 2008.