Back at center, Bryce Young has the option to stay there

Six weeks after being substituted, Bryce Young is back.

The Panthers quarterback, who was selected first overall in 2023 after a trade that included receiver DJ Moore (among others) and was selected first overall in 2024, will play. By chance, Young found his way back into the middle. Andy Dalton injured his thumb in a car accident. Now, via Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, Young has a chance to keep the job.

While as Sunday spritz! It's reportedly somewhere between “Captain Obvious” and “We Got Nothing Else This Morning.” It's worth considering whether Young's enforced break will make a difference. Young remained involved during his Sunday sabbatical, getting some first-team reps while primarily managing the scout team.

Ultimately, Young has to show that he belongs in the NFL. He hasn't done anything that stands out yet. There are no breathtaking abilities. There is no sign that he is on a path that could make him a franchise quarterback.

In the NFL it's sink or swim. And Young sank like a slippery stone. He'll try to dog-paddle against a strong Denver defense. Yes, it's an opportunity. But has anything we saw during his 2-16 run as a starter made anyone think he's getting closer to finding the light switch and flipping it?

Maybe he just needs a fresh start. Maybe the Panthers ruined him. If that's the case, hopefully he'll get a clean slate as early as 2025, as Panthers owner David Tepper will resist the urge to give Young the chance to move to a new team and make the Panthers look even worse, because they failed to get the best out of him.