The Carolina Panthers’ decision to trade up for Bryce Young will be remembered as one of the most consequential—and potentially damaging—moves in franchise history. What was supposed to be a bold leap into the future may ultimately stand as a cautionary tale about impatience, overvaluation, and a fundamental misunderstanding of organizational readiness. A year removed from the blockbuster deal that saw Carolina ship multiple high-value assets, including wide receiver D.J. Moore and a package of premium draft picks, to the Chicago Bears in exchange for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the results are already troubling. And the ripple effects, both seen and unseen, suggest this is only the beginning of the price Carolina will continue to pay for years to come.
Bryce Young, the Alabama standout and 2021 Heisman Trophy winner, was supposed to be the quarterback savior. Smart, poised, accurate, and mature beyond his years, Young had all the intangible traits teams love in a franchise quarterback. But the NFL is an unforgiving league, especially for young quarterbacks who are thrust into dysfunctional environments. Carolina offered Young very little in the way of support. The offensive line was porous, the receiving corps was threadbare, and the coaching staff was a revolving door of inconsistent voices and philosophies. It was a situation doomed to stifle even the most talented prospect. And as his rookie year unfolded, the early warning signs grew more alarming.
Young struggled mightily in 2023, finishing near the bottom of nearly every major statistical category among starting quarterbacks. His size, which had been a topic of concern during the draft process, appeared to be a real limitation. At just over 5-foot-10 and 195 pounds, Young frequently had passes batted at the line, struggled under pressure, and seemed overwhelmed by the speed and physicality of the pro game. The same creativity and calm that defined his college career too often looked like indecision and fragility in the NFL. Meanwhile, comparisons to C.J. Stroud—selected second overall by the Houston Texans—only made the Panthers’ gamble appear worse.
Stroud, with a more stable setup in Houston, thrived in his first year and gave the Texans a legitimate star around whom to build. While every player develops at their own pace and context matters, the juxtaposition was brutal. Carolina not only picked the wrong quarterback, but also paid a premium price to do so. That price is where the real pain begins.
To move up from No. 9 to No. 1, the Panthers handed the Bears a treasure trove of capital. They gave up two first-round picks, two second-rounders, and D.J. Moore—a productive, young, and affordable wide receiver who has since blossomed in Chicago. That trade allowed the Bears to surround Justin Fields with weapons in 2023 before pivoting to Caleb Williams in 2024. Chicago is now positioned as one of the league’s most promising young teams with premium picks, playmakers, and flexibility. Carolina, in contrast, is left with a broken roster, no elite weapons, and a fan base staring down the barrel of another lost decade.
The Bryce Young trade wasn’t just a gamble—it was a mortgage of the team’s future. For a team without a strong infrastructure, without an established offensive identity, and without the necessary pieces in place to help a young quarterback grow, the move was reckless. And now, as the consequences unfold in real time, there’s no easy fix.
The Panthers’ lack of draft capital has hamstrung their ability to rebuild. In a league where hitting on cheap, young players is essential for long-term success, Carolina’s cupboard is bare. They’ve had to dip into free agency to plug holes, often overpaying for average talent. That cycle of desperation spending and developmental stagnation is what keeps bad teams stuck in mediocrity. And when your quarterback is regressing instead of progressing, the issues only compound.
There’s also the psychological toll. Quarterbacks, more than any other position, are affected by confidence and environment. Bryce Young has already endured a disastrous rookie campaign, including criticism from fans, pundits, and opposing players. He’s been hit repeatedly, sacked at an alarming rate, and forced into bad habits. For some players, this type of adversity can be motivating. For others, it can derail careers. The Panthers need to hope Young is the former, but hope is not a strategy.
Ownership, led by David Tepper, has not provided the type of consistent leadership necessary for a successful rebuild. Tepper’s tenure has been marked by instability, from frequent coaching changes to questionable front-office hires. Frank Reich, brought in to mentor Young, was fired before the end of his first season. The new regime faces the unenviable task of cleaning up the mess while trying to salvage Young’s development. It’s a tall order, and the margin for error is razor-thin.
Carolina fans, long known for their loyalty and patience, are growing restless. The excitement of drafting a quarterback No. 1 overall has quickly faded into frustration and disbelief. Many are already asking if the team should move on from Young in the next year or two, a scenario that would be catastrophic from both a financial and reputational standpoint. Giving up that much to draft a quarterback, only to replace him within three seasons, would cement this trade as one of the most damaging in recent league history.
The Panthers’ predicament is made worse by the success of the Bears. Every highlight from D.J. Moore, every explosive play from Caleb Williams, every competitive game from Chicago will serve as a painful reminder of what Carolina gave up. This trade will not disappear into the rearview mirror. It will resurface week after week, year after year, whenever the Panthers take the field. That kind of lingering consequence becomes part of a franchise’s DNA—a narrative that haunts every decision moving forward.
Of course, all is not yet lost. Bryce Young is still early in his career, and many quarterbacks have overcome rocky starts to achieve success. Josh Allen and Jared Goff are recent examples of QBs who struggled early before hitting their stride. But the difference is that their organizations gave them the tools and the time to grow. The Panthers must do the same—if they still believe in Young. That means committing to stability, surrounding him with better protection and weapons, and developing an offensive identity that plays to his strengths. It also means living with the growing pains and resisting the urge to reset prematurely.
Still, even if Young turns things around, the trade itself will always carry a cost. Giving up multiple high picks and a top-tier receiver for one player is a gamble that rarely pays off—especially when that player is at the mercy of so many external factors. And if Young doesn’t pan out? Then the trade becomes more than just a mistake—it becomes a defining failure.
The best teams in the NFL understand the value of patience, process, and alignment. Carolina, in its desperation to find a star, abandoned all three. The result is a roster in disarray, a quarterback struggling to find his footing, and a future clouded by doubt. While Bryce Young may yet surprise everyone, the Panthers’ decision to bet it all on one player, in one draft, in one imperfect moment, is a decision that will continue to haunt them—on the scoreboard, in the standings, and in the memories of their fans—for years to come.
