Andy Dalton, Bryce Young talk about change at top of Carolina Panthers’ QB depth chart
Andy Dalton watched Carolina Panthers practice in a hat, sweater and shorts on Wednesday one day after he was involved in an automobile accident with his family in Charlotte.
Following the first practice of the week, head coach Dave Canales announced that second-year QB Bryce Young will start in place of Dalton, against the Denver Broncos on the road, as the veteran signal-caller recovers from a sprained right thumb on his throwing hand.
“We’re really like day-to-day with it,” Canales said about Dalton’s injury. “The orthopedics, they all looked at his whole thumb and all that and everything is intact. And so really, the best I could explain it, is it’s a bad sprain.”
Dalton and his family — including his wife, three children and a dog — were involved in a minor car accident on Tuesday. None of the family members nor Dalton needed to be hospitalized after the incident. Dalton was evaluated by the team’s medical staff following the crash.
Dalton, who felt soreness in his thumb following the accident, said Wednesday that he was grateful that a sprained thumb was seemingly the worst thing to come out of the crash.
“You’ve got to think big picture,” Dalton said. “It’s easy to find all of the little things that you could be disappointed in, but at the end of the day, I’m thankful that my family is good. Thankful that the other guy appeared to be good, and so, I think it’s all about perspective.”
With Dalton sidelined, Young ready to get back into action
Over the past five weeks, Young has mostly been parked on the sideline during games. While he has appeared in the fourth quarter of two blowout losses during his time as the No. 2 quarterback in Carolina, he’s received the majority of his practice reps with the scout team.
The matchup against Denver — which has a top-five pass defense — will provide an opportunity for Young to redeem himself after a major public setback.
“I want to do everything I can to be the best I can today, during meetings and practice, and then obviously, do everything I can on Sunday,” Young said. “Whatever comes from that, how things are perceived in the building, throughout the world — that’s always stuff, no matter what it is, is stuff I can’t control. So, again, I just want to do all I can to help the team and that’s really where my focus is.”
Young has thrown for 299 yards and three interceptions on the season. He has a 2-16 record as a starter, including the Panthers’ initial two losses of this season.
Canales has openly backed Dalton at every turn since the QB switch was made in Week 3, despite Dalton’s 1-4 record as a starter.
But on Wednesday, Canales expressed excitement for Young’s opportunity in Week 8.
“He’s excited about it,” Canales said about Young’s reclaimed starter status. “He’s been an absolute stud through this whole process. He’s been engaged — involved in what we’re doing. And so, he’s excited about this opportunity. And I’m just fired up for him to have another opportunity to get in there and play some football.”
Dalton, too, expressed enthusiasm for Young, even given the unusual circumstances. He is also preparing to be the backup on Sunday if possible.
If Dalton can’t suit up, practice-squad QB Jack Plummer, an undrafted rookie out of Louisville, would back up Young.
“I think making the decision now allows the team and Bryce to get all the reps he needs and go forward from there,” Dalton said. “We’ll see how the week goes and see if I’m able to get back.”
Young was asked by reporters if he viewed the matchup against Denver as a way to prove himself. Young said he wasn’t looking at the start as a way to push himself back to the top of depth chart.
He also acknowledged that Canales didn’t talk about the future with him when the head coach anointed him as the Week 8 starter.
“I just want to help the team win,” Young said. “We all have the same goals — and I’ll do everything I can to contribute to that.”
Panthers injury updates: Latest on Adam Thielen, D.J. Wonnum
Wide receiver Adam Thielen (hamstring), safety Jordan Fuller (hamstring) and pass rusher D.J. Wonnum (quad) had their 21-day practice windows activated on Wednesday.
Wonnum, who has been on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list since July, hadn’t practiced since sustaining a quad injury in December of last year while still a member of the Minnesota Vikings. After signing a two-year deal with the Panthers in free agency, Wonnum was projected to be an immediate starter opposite Jadeveon Clowney at outside linebacker. However, he missed the entire offseason program, all of training camp and the preseason and the first seven games of this season.
Thielen and Fuller, who remain on injured reserve, have been sidelined since the Week 3 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. Thielen and Fuller were eligible to return from injured reserve for the first time this week.
All three players were listed as limited participants in their first practice back. Thielen, Fuller and Wonnum can remain on their respective injury lists and practice until Nov. 13. At that point, they must be activated or spend the rest of the season on the sideline.
Running back Jonathon Brooks (knee), defensive end Jaden Crumedy (ankle) and safety Sam Franklin (foot) are entering the second week of their respective practice windows.
Brooks hasn’t played in a game since November when he tore his ACL as a member of the Texas Longhorns. Franklin has been out of action since early in training camp this summer, while Crumedy was injured in preseason opener in August.
Brooks was listed as a limited participant on Wednesday, while Crumedy was listed as a full participant. Franklin didn’t work on Wednesday, but the reasoning was listed as personal.
The Panthers ruled out a handful of starters for their loss against Washington in Week 7. Clowney (shoulder), defensive end A’Shawn Robinson (knee), linebackers Josey Jewell (hamstring/groin) and Claudin Cherelus (hamstring), and tight end Tommy Tremble (back/concussion) all missed the 40-7 defeat.
But Jewell, Cherelus and Tremble all practiced in a limited capacity to start the week, while Clowney was a full participant. Robinson remained sidelined to start Week 8.
“All those guys are being evaluated every day,” Canales said. “They’re coming off of injuries, so we’ve got to make sure they make it through a solid week of practice and then we’ll make decisions going into the weekend.”
Below in the Panthers’ injury participation report for Wednesday:
Did not participate: QB Andy Dalton (right thumb), DB Sam Franklin (personal/foot), CB Dane Jackson (hamstring), WR Diontae Johnson (rest/rib), DE A’Shawn Robinson (knee), DB Nick Scott (hamstring)
Limited: RB Jonathon Brooks (knee), LB Claudin Cherelus (hamstring), DB Jordan Fuller (hamstring), LB Josey Jewell (groin/hamstring), RT Taylor Moton (elbow), OT Yosh Nijman (knee), LB Jon Rhattigan (knee), DB Jammie Robinson (knee), TE Ja’Tavion Sanders (groin/wrist), WR Adam Thielen (hamstring), TE Tommy Tremble (back), OLB D.J. Wonnum (quad)
Full: OLB Jadeveon Clowney (shoulder), DE Jaden Crumedy (ankle)
Roster carousel continues
The Panthers continue to churn the bottom of their roster.
Prior to the week of practice, the Panthers made several moves with their 53-man roster and 17-man practice squad on Tuesday.
The team signed linebacker Cam Gill off the Detroit Lions’ practice squad and defensive end Jonathan Harris off the Miami Dolphins’ practice squad. Gill was with the Panthers during training camp but sustained a hand injury that kept him out of the majority of the summer. He was cut in August.
Both Gill, 26, and Harris, 28, are familiar with defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero’s defense, as Gill got to learn the playbook this offseason, while Harris played under Evero in Denver in 2022.
To make room for Gill and Harris, the team released longtime pass rusher Marquis Haynes and waived linebacker Chandler Wooten and nose tackle T.J. Smith. All three players were recently elevated from the practice squad. Wooten and Smith filled in at their respective positions with Jewell and Robinson sidelined. Haynes was brought in to fill the void with Clowney out of action.
The Panthers have one open spot on their 53-man roster following the latest transactions.
The team also released pass rusher Shaq Lawson and defensive end Jayden Peevy from the practice squad. In a corresponding move, the Panthers brought center Andrew Raym back to the practice squad.
Raym was waived on Saturday to make room for defensive roster additions. Lawson was elevated to the game-day roster on Sunday but failed to register a tackle. Peevy spent a portion of the first month of the season on the 53-man roster and actually led the team with 1.5 sacks until Charles Harris recorded his second sack against Washington in Week 7.
On Wednesday, Wooten and Smith cleared waivers and returned to the practice squad.
Quick hits: Kuechly, Smith among HOF’s 50 finalists
▪ Three former Carolina Panthers — linebacker Luke Kuechly, wide receiver Steve Smith and defensive end Jared Allen — were among the Pro Football Hall of Fame cut to 50 candidates on Wednesday, the team announced. Kuechly is in his first year of eligibility in 2025.
▪ Against Washington in Week 7, rookie TE Ja’Tavion Sanders commanded a 52.54% share of the team’s passing yards. That percentage was the highest among NFL TEs for their respective teams and sixth highest among all receivers, according to Zebra Sports.
▪ The Panthers enter Week 8 with the highest opposing averages for first downs allowed (23.1) and points given up (34.7) per game in the NFL. They rank 30th in yardage allowed average (385.7).
▪ RB Chuba Hubbard enters Week 8 with 537 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns. He ranks fifth in the NFL with that individual rushing-yard mark. Of the players in the top five in rushing yards, Hubbard has the fewest number of carries (103). Hubbard and Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley are the only two members of that group without a fumble on the season.
▪ Cornerback Jaycee Horn is tied for seventh in the league with seven pass breakups through seven games. Tight end Feleipe Franks is tied for third in the NFL with eight special teams tackles.
This story was originally published October 23, 2024 at 6:30 PM.
