Bryce Young to start for Panthers following Andy Dalton’s car accident

The former No. 1 pick has another shot at turning things around.

The Carolina Panthers are turning back to Bryce Young to start against the Broncos on Sunday after it was announced Wednesday that Andy Dalton suffered a sprained thumb in a minor car accident.

Dalton was driving with his family on Tuesday afternoon in Charlotte when they struck another car. Little is know about the nature of the crash itself, other than nobody was injured seriously enough to receive medical attention at a hospital. However, after a night’s rest it was revealed that Andy Dalton sprained his thumb, rendering him unable to play on Sunday.

Dalton became the team’s started after two week of horrific play by Young, immediately winning over fans with a stunning performance in the Panthers’ lone win over the Las Vegas Raiders. Since that time, however, Dalton’s performance has taken a mammoth step back — throwing four touchdowns and six interceptions in the last four games.

This very well could be make-or-break for Young’s time with the Panthers. Head coach Dave Canales has praised the commitment and practice of the 2023 No. 1 overall pick, but stopped short of giving any indication of when he might resume starting for Carolina. Whether Young remains part of the Panthers long-term plans or not, his future could very well hinge on how he manages the aggressive Denver defense which has been on fire in recent weeks.

Suddenly a ho-hum game