Panthers players react to Diontae Johnson trade as Bryce Young prepares to start in Week 9
The Carolina Panthers plan to start quarterback Bryce Young against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday at Bank of America Stadium.
With Andy Dalton still dealing with a thumb injury sustained in a minor car accident last week, head coach Dave Canales said he is going back to Young.
Canales made the announcement Wednesday after practice, noting that he is erring on the side of caution with Dalton’s injury. The head coach acknowledged he was taking the decision out of Dalton’s hands, though, the 36-year-old will be the backup against the Saints.
Young led the first-team offense during the first workout of the week, and the plan is for that continue into Sunday.
Bryce Young to start against the New Orleans Saints
Young is coming off a tough performance against the Denver Broncos. He completed 24 of 37 passes for 224 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions against Denver in the 28-14 road loss. The majority of the yardage, as well a touchdown and both interceptions, came with the game largely out of hand in the second half.
But Young will get another opportunity to build on the positive moments he had in the loss. He did look more decisive in the pocket against the Broncos, and Canales hopes that trend continues.
Young was 8 for 12 for 82 yards, two touchdowns and an interception against man coverage, according to Zebra Technologies. That stat line against man coverage was the best of his career to date, according to the performance-tracking company.
Canales said there was a lot to be encouraged by Young’s play on Sunday.
“Some of the rhythmic throws,” Canales said. “First drive, finding a good mix and balance of it. For me, again, this is an opportunity to compete, to continue to find the things that he’s confident with. He found some nice completions throughout, here and there, and then finished with a really nice drive that I thought was good. Obviously the game was out of hand, but at the same time, we’re competing to find wins in those moments.”
Sunday will be the fourth time that Young has faced the Saints in his two seasons. In the last outing, Young completed 13 of 30 passes for 161 yards and two interceptions. While he had a rushing touchdown, Young’s performance in the 47-10 blowout loss played into the decision to bench him in Week 3.
When asked if this weekend could be a chance at redemption for Young, the second-year quarterback kept saying all the right things.
“It’s a week-to-week league,” Young said. “We have a ton of respect for them. And we know that it’s week to week. We take it. We learn from it. Obviously watch the film from all games, from playing together. We have to do everything we can throughout the week to go out and play well. I know it’s going to take everything. We also have to have confidence in ourselves.”
Through five games (three starts), Young has completed 59.8% of his passes for 523 yards, two touchdowns and five interceptions. He also has 32 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground.
From the locker room: Reaction to Diontae Johnson trade
Wednesday afternoon marked about 24 hours after the Panthers finalized the trade that sent Diontae Johnson to the Baltimore Ravens, and Johnson’s old teammates had nothing but praise for him.
That included the team’s second-year quarterback.
“That’s the front office, and they make the decisions that are best for the team,” Young said of Johnson, who recorded a team-leading 30 catches for 357 yards and three touchdowns. “It hurts to lose someone like Diontae.”
Johnson was ultimately sent to Baltimore with a Panthers’ sixth-round pick in exchange for a fifth-round pick. Canales said he will keep the conversations with general manager Dan Morgan and executive vice president of football operations Brandt Tilis private. But teammates were quick to highlight the positives Johnson brought.
Jalen Coker, the team’s undrafted rookie wideout with a similar chip on the shoulder Johnson once sported, called it a “blessing” to learn from Johnson. Fellow rookie wide receiver Xavier Legette said he was “surprised” to hear the news of the trade, which he first saw on social media.
“He brought the spark to me every day by just being a good teammate,” said Legette, whose role on the offense will increase with Johnson’s departure. “I’m just doing whatever Coach needs me to do. If he tells me to do more, that’s what it’s going to be.”
Johnson’s departure was felt on the defensive side, too. Top cornerback Jaycee Horn lamented Johnson’s departure, saying he “got me a lot better just by being able to match up with him during OTAs, during camp” — and that he was “really appreciative of that.”
“I think he’s got some of the best feet in the game, the quickest feet. He runs some of the best routes. So I don’t think I’ve seen anybody this year who can do any of that better than him. So it got me a lot better. And I know he’s going to do great things in Baltimore. ... It’s a business. You’re seeing a lot of guys come and go, so Year 4, I’m kind of used to it.”
RB Miles Sanders discusses the NFL trade deadline
With the Panthers moving on from Johnson, it’s fair to wonder who could be next on the Carolina roster. The NFL trade deadline is set for Tuesday, Nov. 5, and the Panthers could try to add to their nine-pick haul in the 2025 draft.
Panthers RB Miles Sanders has been mentioned in trade rumors since the offseason. The 27-year-old running back is among the highest-paid offensive skill players on the team, but he has taken a backseat to Chuba Hubbard through eight games.
At the midway point, Sanders has 139 rushing yards, 103 receiving yards and a rushing touchdown on 53 total touches. However, he did catch all seven of his targets for 38 yards in the loss to the Broncos this past weekend.
“Just showing what I can truly do,” Sanders said. “I’ve always been a three-down back. And I’m just happy I had a way to show it in a way. I still believe that I can do way more than what I’m doing right now. But all I can control is what I can control.”
With his name being mentioned on the rumor mill, Sanders said he’s only focused on his current job.
“I just take it one day at a time,” Sanders said. “Cause at the end of the day, hypothetically speaking, if I did want to be traded, the team has to want to trade me, both teams ... have to accept to trade me. So, at the end of the day, I have no say-so in what goes on, regardless. So, all I can control is coming in every day and working my (expletive) off. And that’s all I’ve been doing.”
Sanders, a 2019 second-round pick of the Philadelphia Eagles, signed a four-year, $25.4 million deal in March of last year. He then had a career-worst campaign as the Panthers slid to a league-worst 2-15. He was eventually benched for Hubbard, and the veteran running back failed to gain back the starting job this offseason with a new coaching staff in place.
Hubbard currently ranks fifth in the NFL with 593 rushing yards.
The team also selected rookie running back Jonathon Brooks in the second round of this year’s draft.
Brooks, who has been sidelined through the first eight games of the season on the reserve/non-football injury list, could make his NFL debut as early as this Sunday against the Saints.
When Brooks gets into the lineup, Sanders’ playing time could decrease even further. That outlook could press the Panthers to seek out a trade for Sanders that is similar to the one that sent Johnson to Baltimore.
“I haven’t talked to them at all,” Sanders said about the front office. “Whatever they think is best, then let it happen. I’m just here to do my job.”
Wednesday injury report: Latest on Adam Thielen, Jonathon Brooks
Here is the full injury participation list for Wednesday:
Did not participate: OLB Jadeveon Clowney (rest), OT Ikem Ekwonu (ankle), TE Feleipe Franks (concussion), LB Josey Jewell (rest), OLB DJ Johnson (ankle), DE A’Shawn Robinson (rest), DB Jammie Robinson (knee), TE Tommy Tremble (back).
Limited participation: WR Adam Thielen (hamstring/IR).
Full participation: RB Jonathon Brooks (knee/NFI), DE Jaden Crumedy (ankle/IR), QB Andy Dalton (right thumb), DB Jordan Fuller (hamstring/IR), OT Yosh Nijman (knee), OLB D.J. Wonnum (rest/PUP).
Quick hits
▪ On Tuesday, along with trading Johnson, the Panthers waived defensive back Russ Yeast. The team also cut linebacker Shaquille Quarterman from the practice squad and brought back tight end Stephen Sullivan on the practice roster. Yeast appeared in two games for the Panthers while bouncing on and off the 53-man roster and practice squad. Quarterman appeared in the Week 7 loss to Washington, while Sullivan has been with the team, on and off, since 2021.
The team also signed former Washington Commanders wideout Dax Milne to the practice squad on Wednesday. Milne was center Brady Christensen’s teammate at BYU.
▪ The Saints enter Week 9 with a six-game losing streak, the longest skid in the league. However, starting QB Derek Carr has missed the past three games. Carr was limited in practice on Wednesday.
▪ Canales mentioned practice wideout Deven Thompkins as a possible downfield threat to replace Johnson in the lineup. Thompkins was with Canales and offensive coordinator Brad Idzik in Tampa Bay last year. Thompkins spent part of the summer in Charlotte during training camp and came back via the practice squad earlier this month.
This story was originally published October 30, 2024 at 5:15 PM.
