Bo Nix has already achieved more wins in his rookie season than any quarterback in Denver Broncos history.
Jayden Daniels, known for his Hail Mary throws, has the Washington Commanders leading the NFC East. Meanwhile, Caleb Williams is showing potential with the Chicago Bears.
C.J. Stroud is doing what he does best. Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield are reviving their careers in Minnesota and Tampa Bay.
The Carolina Panthers could have had any of these quarterbacks if they had made better decisions.
This must be very frustrating for owner David Tepper, who has struggled to find a long-term solution at quarterback. His coaching staff hasn’t developed a strong player, and the front office has either drafted the wrong players or made poor decisions that kept them from getting the right ones.
The Panthers traded for Darnold and Mayfield but let them go after they didn’t perform well. Carolina also chose not to select Stroud with the first overall pick in 2023. Plus, trading up for Bryce Young last year cost them the top pick in this year’s draft and a chance to grab one of the rookie quarterbacks from the 2024 class.
Now, the Panthers are left with Young and 36-year-old Andy Dalton.
Young has a record of 2-17 as an NFL starter and had another disappointing game on Sunday, losing 28-14 to Nix and the Broncos.
Nix, picked 12th in this year’s draft, showed he could be a franchise quarterback by throwing three touchdown passes against a Panthers defense that has allowed the most points in the league. Young, on the other hand, continued to struggle with decision-making, presence in the pocket, and leadership, just as he has for much of his career.
When asked about his defense’s performance after the Panthers game, Broncos coach Sean Payton said, “I said this, it’s not a good offense we played. It’s just the truth. So we expected that, and we’re going to see a lot better teams.”
That pretty much sums it up.
Young threw two more interceptions on Sunday and now has more interceptions (15) than touchdown passes (13) in his career.
The Panthers (1-7) are not making progress with no clear solution at quarterback. The future in Carolina looks uncertain. On the positive side, the Panthers seem likely to secure a top-three pick in 2025, giving them a chance to restart at quarterback.
As for what’s next, Panthers coach Dave Canales said it’s unclear whether Young or Dalton will start next Sunday at New Orleans.
