Bryce Young Injury: What We Know About the Panthers QB's Status

For sports fans, few things are more exciting than watching a young player burst onto the scene. In those early days, there's nothing but potential; you could have a future MVP on the roster. However, for Carolina Panthers fans, it's time to temporarily pump the breaks. Their star rookie—quarterback Bryce Young—is currently sidelined by an ankle injury.

What's actually affecting the signal-caller? And, perhaps more importantly, when can he be expected to return to the fold?

Let's dig into the details.

Will Young Play in Week 3?

While NFL teams do issue injury reports, they're not always the most helpful. Knowing if a player is questionable, for example, can give you some clues, but those designations can change over time. "Out," however, is unequivocal.

And, on Friday, we finally reached that point with the Panthers' QB. Young missed practice earlier in the week, and it was expected that he would miss Week 3's date with the Seattle Seahawks. As of September 22, his absence was made official.

Young's injury is being called an ankle sprain, for those keeping track at home.

How Did Young Get Hurt?

Sometimes, you can pull the exact video clip that shows a player getting hurt. In Young's case, though, even the team isn't quite sure when the injury happened.

"No clarity of when or how," Carolina head coach Frank Reich said, according to Panthers Wire. "To Bryce's credit, just played with the adrenaline and the competitor in him. Listen, every player, probably everybody here at some point has kinda worked through a sprained ankle—and different kinds of sprains and all that stuff."

Ultimately, though, Young's issue became apparent.

"But I'm sure playing on it during the game, it just got worse and worse. And then, of course, when you stop movin' around, it really pops its ugly head," Reich added. "But a credit to Bryce—we really feel good about the path he's on."

When Will Young Return?

Even in the best circumstances, it can be tricky to put an exact timeline on an injury; everyone's body is different and recovers at a different rate. When you're talking about an ankle injury, things can be even harder to predict. When it comes to running away from an oncoming pass rusher, after all, even the tiniest twinge can be a problem.

Reich did provide some insight into his quarterback's ankle, though.

"They're sayin' one to two weeks. Docs are sayin' one to two weeks," the head coach explained when asked about a potential recovery timeline. "I think Bryce has done well this week. I'm optimistic that he's on the right path and that whatever the soonest he can get back is, he will get back. And when he gets back and when he's cleared, he's our guy and he'll be ready to go."

For context, we know the quarterback will miss Week 3's trip to Seattle. A one-week absence would mean he'd return on October 1 against the Minnesota Vikings, and a two-week layoff would mean he'd take the field on October 8 in Detroit against the Lions.

Andy Dalton Will Start at QB for the Panthers

While no NFL team wants to see their backup quarterback take the field, the Panthers are well prepared for Young's absence. Andy Dalton sits second on the depth chart, and he'll lead the offense on Sunday.

The veteran started 162 games in his NFL career, spending most of his time with the Cincinnati Bengals. He probably won't blow anyone away, but he has proven to be capable of keeping things ticking while avoiding disaster. During his 2022 season with the Saints, the QB posted a 6-8 record with 2,871 passing yards, 18 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

On Friday, Dalton also received an endorsement from his current coach.

"This guy is practicing at a high level," Reich said, according to the Panthers' official website. "The way he's throwing the football, the way he works through progressions, the way he handles the operation....Since day one [when] he walked in the door, I'm like, 'This guy is starter-worthy.' You guys know I've said that all along. He's, in my opinion, one of the best 32 quarterbacks in the world. So really glad we have him for situations like this. He's had a really good week in practice. And looking forward to seeing him play."

For his part, Dalton was clear on his role.

"My goal is to win," he said on Thursday. "Especially here, this is Bryce's thing. I'm not here to make this a competition, make it some thing. I'm here to help the team."

Ultimately Discretion Is the Better Part of Valor

While having Young on the sidelines may be disappointing for Panthers fans, keeping him out of the action is ultimately the right move. At the risk of being overprotective, there's simply no reason to risk a potentially larger problem.

When it comes to Carolina, it started the season 0-2 and, with a rookie under center, there are bound to be some growing pains. Even if the club snuck into the playoffs, there isn't a Lombardi Trophy at the end of this campaign.

Through that lens, there's no need to put Young out there if he's less than 100 percent. No matter the fear—you could worry about him sustaining a more serious injury, establishing bad habits or simply taking a few extra sacks and losing confidence—there's no reason to put him out there in what amounts to an insignificant game.

Dalton might not be an exciting option, but he's a safe pair of hands who can handle a few games in the spotlight. The Panthers' priority should be developing Young, and letting him play while hurt won't help that goal.