Panthers QB Andy Dalton shares big Bryce Young prediction

Carolina Panthers veteran quarterback Andy Dalton shared a locker room with Bryce Young throughout Young's tumultuous rookie season. 

During a Tuesday appearance on "The Jim Rome Show," Dalton explained why he believes Young will take steps in the right direction as a second-year pro while working under new head coach Dave Canales. 

"This thing is going to get better, it's going to improve," Dalton said, as shared by Kevin Patra of NFL.com. "And I think what we have done this offseason, bringing in some guys, bringing in a couple guards on the offensive line, you know, different things, trading for (wide receiver) Diontae Johnson, I think it's getting built the right way where, yeah, it's going to set him up to have a better year."

Specifically, Patra notes that Carolina signed guards Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis in free agency after Young took 62 sacks – the second-most in the NFL for the 2023 season – across 16 games. Perhaps the biggest reason for optimism regarding the 22-year-old is the hiring of Canales after helping Baker Mayfield, a different undersized quarterback, emerge as a Comeback Player of the Year candidate when both were employed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this past campaign. 

Panthers owner David Tepper fired then-head coach Frank Reich in late November and later dismissed general manager Scott Fitterer in January. While those credited with drafting Young first overall last spring rather than reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year C.J. Stroud are no longer in the Panthers building, Dalton believes Young will embrace the challenge of impressing those who didn't directly pick him. 

"Yeah, I thought he handled it well," Dalton said about the hardships Young faced from September through January. "You know, he's never in his life had a season like that and had to handle the adversity that he had to deal with. It was a tough year. And then you throw in losing your head coach after 11 games and changes on offense all the things that went into it, it was tough. So I think for him, I thought he handled it well, and I kept telling him, just stay the course."

Dalton has experienced plenty of highs and lows in the NFL and thus, could be a perfect mentor for Young. If, however, Young still looks overwhelmed during games around Christmas 2024, Canales and company may have to seriously consider going in another direction at the position next offseason.