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    • Carolina ‘didn’t want to trade’ Bryce Young, but didn’t commit to QB either
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    Carolina ‘didn’t want to trade’ Bryce Young, but didn’t commit to QB either

    Pabio Posted on

    The NFL trade deadline passed Tuesday without the Carolina Panthers making a move Bryce Young. Instead, the No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft will start at quarterback against the New York Giants on Sunday.

    “We never had any discussions,” the Panthers general manager said. Dan Morgan said Wednesday regarding the quarterback trade. “I never opened that door. I didn’t want to trade Bryce. This is still not the case. And determined to work with him and help him grow and develop.

    Does this mean Carolina is recommitted to Young as their franchise quarterback?

    “I think every week, you know, we evaluate Bryce.” Morgana said when asked this question. “We’re just seeing him, taking it day by day, really seeing him grow, seeing him develop, being under a coach and working with him, learning under Andy (Dalton). I think we see it growing every day. We are excited to work with him and continue to work with him in the future. And ultimately, we’ll have those conversations once the season is over, and we’ll see where we are.

    After trading up to spend the No. 1 pick on Young last year, the Panthers had the former Alabama All-American in their starting lineup for 16 games in 2023. But when Carolina opened with two losses in 2024, new coach Dave Canales benched second-year signal-caller for Dalton.

    The 14-year NFL veteran started the next five games. But when Dalton injured his thumb in a traffic accident on October 22, Young returned to the starting lineup. After the Panthers lose 28-14 to Denver Broncos on October 27, Canales kept Young in the lineup for one more game.

    Carolina ended five-game losing streak beat the New Orleans Saints 23-22 Sunday, and Canales announced Wednesday that Young would get another start.

    “It’s about the evolution from one week to the next.” Canales said. “And then I preach the end. I talk about finishing all the time. It’s finishing everything: finishing games, practices, quarters, halves, finishing matches. He did a fantastic job of finishing that match the right way, finding a way to win and really fighting that way, so I was really proud of Bryce for that. And I just took all the information and wanted to give him another opportunity to go out and face the Giants this week in Germany.

    But like Morgan next season, Canales won’t commit to Young beyond Sunday’s game.

    “We have an opportunity here to play this game,” Canales said Wednesday, “and we’ll take all the information and then we’ll make a decision after that.” …

    “Again, right now, because of the progress he’s shown, I just want to focus on this week, I want him to play again. It gives us an opportunity during the bye week to take all the information and then make another decision.

    Young called him “part of the business.”

    “I’m just here to do my job, whatever that job is called,” Young said Wednesday. “I know what this week is for, I’m very grateful for that. And then I have to do it, you know, I’m a pro, whatever it is. I do my best every day and build on that. …

    “I just want to do whatever I can to help the team. Obviously, my game being reviewed is not in my hands. I want to do everything I can to help the team win. I lean on my teammates and the coaches and all that and just try to execute. And I know after every week it’s obviously going to be an evaluation, so I try not to think about that. I just try to do everything I can to help the team.

    Over the last two games, Young has completed 40 of 63 passes for 395 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions.

    "Find throws on the ground," Canales said of Young’s improvement since the quarterback opened the season completing 13 of 30 passes for 161 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions in a 47-10 loss to the Saints on September 8. “A lot of it was the chemistry with the guys he worked with and the success, some really cool explosive plays that came up in the game. This is just, again, our third operation. I know we didn’t have the best third day that we wanted, but I saw progress there just with the whole group, getting up and performing that way and a lot of other specific things.

    “Again, I won’t go into those details. These are private conversations in the QB room, so I’ll leave it at that. But just the steps forward, the progress, and then the end. And that’s what we’re looking for. We are looking for that finish.

    The Panthers trailed New Orleans 22-17 when they took possession at their 36-yard line with 3:26 left Sunday. Young completed a third-down pass to wide receiver Xavier Legette for a 26-yard gain, and a 22-yard defensive pass interference penalty on the next snap moved Carolina to the New Orleans 16. Running back Chuba Hubbard covered that distance to the goal. line to give Carolina a one-point lead with 2:18 left.

    “I think it was great for us as a unit, as a team, to finish that way,” Young said. “But we also shouldn’t minimize the defense which makes a huge save and a huge moment. Once again, it was a one-point game. They had time. And for the defense to be that big like that, again, the whole team wins. So I think it was great for us to be able to do that and play against each other, play complementary and have both sides of the ball step up.

    “And now, again, it’s just about building off of that, making sure we can leverage it, continue to grow, continue to build off of that. And it was great while it lasted. Now it’s just: what can we do better to continue to improve? »

    The Panthers and Giants will face off on Sunday at 8:30 a.m. CST at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany. NFL Network will broadcast the game.

    FOR MORE AL.COM NFL COVERAGE, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

    Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.

    Pabio
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