CHARLOTTE — The easy thing to do would have been to do nothing.
Giving former No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young a few more weeks to right himself might have been the expected play. But Dave Canales didn't think it was the right thing for the entire roster.
So now they're onto the Andy Dalton era, at least for the moment, and we'll find out if it makes an immediate difference in the offense. What was clear was that the status quo wasn't working, and their inability to gain first downs or yards reliably was compromising the entire product.
That's not to say this was all Young's fault, as a number of players pointed out their own roles in the team's shortcomings so far. But the quarterback is at the center of everything in the NFL, which meant the Panthers sent a shock wave through the league with the move.
There's no way of knowing how this ends up — for Canales, for Young, for Dalton, or the team in general. But what's clear is that the shakeup got everyone's attention.
(This was also true of the readers of the Mailbag, who filled up our box quickly with a fresh set on Monday afternoon and evening, after all the [largely angry] ones from Sunday or before were rendered moot. So let's get to those questions as we wait to see how this all unfolds)
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We have heard so much about the offensive scheme and personnel being designed around what Bryce does best. How will the scheme align with Dalton's strengths, and do you anticipate changes to tailor the scheme to fit his strengths (assuming he starts for more than one game)? — Deirdre, Tega Cay, SC
A lot of the things that were tailored to Young personnel-wise this offseason (bringing in protection and targets) will benefit Dalton as well.
I'm not saying this because of his age, but Dalton's not going to run around as much as he did when he was younger. So, if he's a more stationary pocket passer, then having a solid interior pocket he can step into will obviously benefit him. And the interior protection has been quite good. They spent a lot of money on Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis for a reason, and the early returns have been good. Also, Austin Corbett has shown that the transition to center isn't as big of a deal as some imagined, so that part has been solid.
Also, think back to last year's Seattle game in Week 3. It wasn't just that Dalton threw it well (season-high 361 yards) or often (58 times); it's the kinds of throws. He was creating chunk plays, with five completions of 20 yards or more and three more 15-yarders.
Compare that to the way Canales had Baker Mayfield working downfield to Mike Evans last year, and you can see a fit. Dalton has always had a good arm downfield, so that element of what Canales has done in the past would seem to fit nicely.
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Hi Darin! I guess I'm in the minority on that, but after the last game and Bryce benching, I'm actually more optimistic than before. How can it be after losing the home opener by a lot, scoring 3 points, and benching last year's first pick (after that big trade - also the same guy most, if not all, other teams would pick first)? By looking objectively at things - see, that is not to say that they're good - they are what they are. In the first game, all three phases played badly (maybe the Cowboys feel the same after Sunday). In this last game, special teams (no big plays allowed or mistakes) and defense (two turnovers forced) were OK, at least for the team to be competitive. But the offense seemed the same or worse. The coaches and decision-makers looked at the tape and felt they had to make a change at QB (most tape analysts saw the same thing). It's not what they, us fans, Bryce wanted. Absolutely not. But the reality right now is the team needs to make this change to try to be functional on offense and competitive in games. That's what it is. Again, it's not good nor desirable in this situation, but it's the necessary thing to do to evaluate where the team is and to be able to build a culture and a competitive now. Will it work? No one knows. But we know that you can't ignore reality if you want a solid foundation. And to me, that's what coach Canales did and told us yesterday. Am I crazy or delusional for thinking this way? Thanks! — Fernando, São Paulo, Brazil
No, it's not ideal, but it's easy to see it as necessary. And that's why Canales kept talking about the collective reason for the decision. It's obviously not great to park a player you gave up a lot of assets to acquire. But it's worse to let an entire team suffer.
And to your point, yes, he was the consensus top pick last year, regardless of what the second-guessers say. (As Cam Newton helpfully pointed out, hindsight is 50-50.) No one saw this change coming, which is why it was a tough call to make, but one Canales made with the whole team in mind.
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First of all, thank you for being named the Friend Of The Mailbag! Let's dive in, though, because it's been an interesting one. I know you'll have lots of questions surrounding our QB change, and I am no different. How do you think the overall locker room is feeling at this moment? A lot of guys seem to stand by Bryce and respect him. Do you think the coaching staff will lose the locker room for this? Do you think there will be a shift like when we traded CMC? If you can't tell, I am certainly worried about the guys' confidence and how that will shake out on the field. — Brittany, Anchorage, AK
These guys all build up personal relationships, but like tight end Tommy Tremble mentioned Monday, there's also the need to do the job well. And Young had not. So, as much as they might like a guy, they all like their livelihoods more, and they know winning is the only thing that creates job security.
"I think in the NFL, a lot of guys forget that this is your job, and if you're not getting the job done, that's how this stuff usually works for any position," Tremble said. "So I think it emphasizes that when you get certain details throughout the week, and you're not executing them like everyone's got to do it. That's how the NFL works. You've got to do your job. That's number one."
The easiest thing to do would be to try to make this about one guy because the Panthers gave up a lot for that one guy. The decision made this week is about all 53.
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Bust, not so fast. I, too, felt we were watching the worst repeat version of last year's nightmare of a season. I think Bryce has had the fun of the game shell-shocked out of him. Let's give this talented and young QB a minute to understand his second new NFL offense, his second new NFL coaching group, and his second new group of NFL receivers that run all different routes differently. Not to mention knowing when and how to adjust your offense for tricky defenses looking to confuse young QBs at all stages of the game. It's a lot, and I think playing behind a seasoned quarterback like Dalton and learning without carrying the weight of the franchise every single second of the day may give him a chance to succeed in the future. Thanks for all you do for us. — Don, Trinity, NC
Tend to agree, that continuing to roll him out there the way things were going wasn't good for anyone.
And taking that kind of break, resetting, and regaining his footing can only be preferable to continued negative feedback. His rookie year was a nightmare at many levels. No one has any idea what the future holds — the crystal ball is still in Ben McAdoo's other pants — but the current situation wasn't doing anyone any favors.
My guess is that Young leans into it and works to improve, because that's what he's quietly done behind the scenes since he's been here.
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Hello Darin. I greatly enjoy reading your responses to the questions. This is my first time submitting. I'm a retired teacher and love my Carolina Panthers. I'm concerned about morale. Would the coaching staff and players like to receive supportive cards? Are there things fans like me can do to encourage and reassure Coach, the players, and staff that there are fans who care about them? I thought about dropping off Krispy Kreme doughnuts or bags of candy and gum. I know everyone is working hard and I'm grateful for their efforts. Thanks for any feedback. — Caroline, Rural Hall, NC
This is amazing. Seriously, Caroline, you are automatically this week's Friend Of The Mailbag, and we'll get something in the mail to you just because you're thoughtful and kind.
I did pass your note along to the coaching staff and it's definitely appreciated, but knowing there are people out there in the world is enough. The support for the team throughout the hard times is something the players and coaches definitely pick up on and need.
Seriously, everyone reading this Mailbag, go be the Caroline in somebody else's life. Lift someone else up when they need it. Call. Send a card. Share some food. This is an old-school Southern instinct that makes this place special. I'm a dude, so when bad things happen to friends, I rarely know what to say and usually just end up looking at my shoes and mumbling. I am of very little help verbally, as words of consolation are not really my strong suit. But I can make a casserole and deliver it, and Caroline knows that's often the best way to show you care.
Y'all, Caroline is just the best, and the fact that she taught for a lot of years means there are a lot of kids in Rural Hall who got looked after the right way. She helped create a community of supportive people by being a role model of the behavior. She's the hero we need right now. She reminds me of Taylor Moton, who just walks around here hugging people.
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As you know, I'm one of the die-hard Panthers fans and my first game back post-surgery was Sunday! The one bright spot other than the O-line play was Chuba Hubbard's running! Is that what running angry looks like? Sign me up for more of that! Keep Pounding! — Susan, Inman, SC
Speaking of supportive former teachers, Susan is one of our all-timers.
In the early days of the 'Bag, she was known as Everyday Susan because she literally sat on the hill at training camp in Spartanburg every time the whistle blew. She was one of the first 10 FsOTM in ATOG history, and we're glad to have her on our side because she's always on time with a kind word. We love Susan. She's been dealing with some health issues of her own lately, and it's good to hear she's rebounding well. She's a fighter who lives the spirit of Keep Pounding every day. So let's all be like Caroline and keep Susan in our thoughts as well.
Susan is also an astute observer of the football product and has zoomed in on one of the things that could come to the fore in the weeks to come.
The way Hubbard is running offers some hope if they can create a situation where they actually get a chance to run more often.
They only had 55 snaps against the Saints and 48 against the Chargers. Coupled with early deficits and 2-of-22 third-down conversions, there hasn't been as much opportunity to run often. But if the passing game stabilizes and buys them a few more downs, then I think Hubbard could flourish.
His 10 carries for 64 yards last week was the living definition of "running stubbornly," which is kind of what we expect from Hubbard at this point. He can also fly, which we may not have.
And while it's hard to find a lot of positives in the recent offense, the protection has been good, and those three big bodies in the middle were built to run, so leaning into that seems smart.
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Hi Darin, hope you are doing well. When is Jonathon Brooks expected to make his debut, and when do you think he is going to take on a large role in the offense? Thanks. — Joe, Wesley Chapel, FL
Timelines are always tricky when it comes to injuries — which is why football people hate talking about them — but with Brooks there was always a realization it might be midseason before he was ready.
The thing the medical community has learned about ACL tears is that the longer you give them to heal, the stronger they tend to stay. So there's no sense in rushing the rookie onto the field yet — especially since Hubbard is perfectly capable of holding things down until then.
But once he's back, he could make a significant impact. Brooks showed home-run ability at Texas and can add value as a receiver. So once he's back, it's a potentially big addition to the offense.
Having experience rehabbing ACLs lately (with Austin Corbett's return in Week 8 last year providing something of a template), the Panthers are positioned to handle Brooks appropriately.
He wasn't drafted with immediate returns in mind, so they want to make sure they're making the best decisions for him for the future.
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I, for one, am blown away by (and quite frankly, admire) the guts of coach Canales to make such a monumental decision so early in his first season as a head coach. I felt Bryce would be given a much longer timeframe to play through this rough period of his career, especially with the context of everything that was invested by the team to acquire him and to set him up to be the QB of the future. I think a tremendous amount of respect should be given to coach Canales here whether his decision to move forward with Dalton as the starter pans out or not.
With that said, can you think of any decisions from Dom Capers, John Fox, et al. that occurred early in their tenures that were as impactful as what we're seeing now? The best I can think of is Fox subbing in Jake Delhomme for Rodney Peete at halftime of the 2003 season opener, but even there, I feel that still doesn't compare well because it was in Fox's second season as head coach and not his first. — Alan, Charlotte
Whether it's early in your career or not, making quarterback decisions can be defining.
Capers had to handle a young Kerry Collins, who, by his own admission, didn't handle some things well in his first stint here. He once walked into Capers' office in 1998 and said his heart wasn't in it and was gone shortly thereafter. Capers also had to hold Collins back in 1995 for three games, rather than putting the burden of starting the first game in franchise history on the first-round pick. The timing worked then, and Collins helped lift the Panthers to a 7-4 finish in 1995 and a 12-4 record the following year.
Even before Fox was able to make the switch to Delhomme at halftime of the 2003 opener, he made an even more impactful quarterback call. There were a lot of people clamoring for the Panthers to draft Oregon quarterback Joey Harrington in 2002 since they didn't have an obvious answer other than the journeyman Peete. They took some guy named Julius Peppers instead with the second overall pick. Seemed to work out.
Fox also inherited a team that went 1-15 in 2001, and in his first team meeting, told the assembled masses that he intended to run off all the people who didn't embody his "tough and smart" prerequisite. And he ran off a lot of people.
Making this change certainly was not the kind of thing Canales took lightly, you could see that on his face. But it was also a decision he felt like he had to make at the moment.
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Hey Darin! Sorry for being MIA for a bit; life was life-ing. What a week to come back to, though; apparently, some things happened while I was gone. Derrick Brown is out for the year, which Jim Harbaugh seemed to take complete advantage of, and the Red Rifle is set to lead our offense under center in Sin City. While those two seemed to be The Big Story of their respective weeks, I'd like to shamelessly and selfishly ask, "What are some less flashy news items that someone may have missed over the past two weeks?" As always, I appreciate the various journalisms that you and Kassidy commit for us fans all year, and I promise to lock back in the rest of the season — Nate, Charlotte
Nate violated the contract. Being a FOTM is like joining a gang. Once you're a Jet, you're a Jet for life, etc. For punishment, I need you to get into a dance battle with someone in the streets. Preferably someone who knows about this in advance, and can videotape it.
One thing I'm looking forward to seeing the next few weeks is whether the early signs of competence from the offensive line continues.
It's hard to say this out loud after the way last year unraveled, but this group looks pretty good considering the circumstances and could help Dalton stabilize things.
If they can get under center and run, hit some shots downfield, and make play action a thing again, we might find out this is a pretty decent group, especially with a couple of tackles in Ikem Ekwonu and Moton, who can flourish in the run game.
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Hey Darin! After two games so far, the TE position appears to have no impact on the passing game. Is this just a Dave Canales strategy thing? Or is it a league-wide trend not to utilize tight ends (in the passing game) who aren't dating Taylor Swift? — Zach, Charlotte
I'm not sure it's wise to make any sweeping declarations about any other individual part of the offense based on the last two weeks. Last year in Tampa, they threw it to Cade Otten 47 times, but no one else more than five. That's partly due to personnel. With injuries that kept Tremble out for the opener, and Ian Thomas still on IR, it's hard to judge the group right now. Ja'Tavion Sanders has promise but he's a rookie.
Also, if they had a tight end who was dating Taylor Swift, I promise you Canales would draw plenty of plays up for him. That said, GET BACK TO CLASS, ZACH.
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I saw your Twitter post, so I'll try again: What's your favorite Andy Dalton story? As for the other part, Zach still needs to head back to class. — John, Charlotte
We got a lot of Bryce questions before the move that were no longer valid by Monday afternoon. So good for John being conscientious enough to adjust. I find Dalton interesting, and not just because he's close enough to me in age that I feel like we can talk about things in a way that I can't always with 20-somethings.
One thing I've found interesting about Andy is that he's an exceptional tennis player (He's a Level 4.0 on the National Tennis Rating Program chart, with 7.0 being "world class player"). He and his wife play a lot of doubles during the offseason, and are apparently quite good. At least it's not pickleball; he's not that old yet.
And as one of Zach's teachers, you know the struggle keeping him on task, or sufficiently challenged in a way that keeps that fertile mind working.
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And on that note, let's go lightning round, brought to you by the patron saint of the lightning round Jeff from Fuquay-Varina, to close it out this week.
What is the capitol of South Dakota? I just wanted to sign up for your list. I've followed you since your stint at the Rock Hill Herald. I think you're an awesome writer, even for a sports guy. Be Safe. — Michael, Winnsboro, SC
Thanks. But "even for a sports guy?" You sound like an old female news-side writer I knew, who boasted that she "wrote stories that were important" (she covered a lot of zoning board meetings). I replied: "I write stories people read." Deep in her heart, she loved me.
As for the capitol of South Dakota, everyone knows it's Pierre. I've never actually been there, but I have enjoyed two of the most underrated tourist attractions in South Dakota if not the world. Wall Drug is like a cowboy version of South of the Border, where you can get a taxidermy jackalope and all manner of other fine items and treasures. And then there's the Corn Palace in Mitchell, S.D., where you can see wonders like huge mosaics on the outside of the building commemorating the state's history and culture, created entirely of maize. It's incredible, at least until the squirrels eat it.
I would love to see Jack Plummer get a shot at it. Your thoughts? — George, Liberty, SC
Jack showed incredible improvement over the course of the preseason and his work is a credit to his character. But one quarterback change per week, please, George. This week has already been a lot.
