CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Sunday’s game served as yet another unneeded reminder for the Carolina Panthers of just how badly they botched the trade for Bryce Young in 2023 — and how far back it has set the franchise.
Caleb Williams threw for 304 yards and two touchdowns — both of those to former Carolina wide receiver D.J. Moore — as the Bears routed the Panthers 36-10 in Chicago.
Moore was part of the deal in which the Panthers also sent four draft picks to the Bears to move up to the No. 1 overall pick to acquire a franchise quarterback. But instead of taking C.J. Stroud, who went No. 2 overall to the Houston Texans and has experienced quick success, the Panthers took Young — and it has been a disaster ever since.
Young is 2-16 as an NFL starter and was benched just two games into the Dave Canales era for 36-year-old journeyman Andy Dalton.
Williams, meanwhile, displayed good pocket presence in the best game of his young career. Williams, of course, was taken No. 1 overall in this year’s draft with a pick the Bears received from the Panthers after Carolina finished with an NFL-worst 2-15 record last season.
The Bears also added offensive tackle Darnell Wright and cornerback Tyrique Stevenson — both of whom are now starters — along with punter Tory Taylor as part of that trade haul that could haunt the Panthers for years.
Even more concerning is that hindsight is proving the Panthers may not have needed to make the move at all had they been able to develop their own quarterback.
The Panthers previously acquired Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield — both former top-three draft picks — in trades with the New York Jets and Cleveland Browns, respectively, in an effort to shore up the QB position.
Both are now excelling with their current teams.
Darnold has the unbeaten Minnesota Vikings (5-0) atop the NFC North. Mayfield, one year after leading the Buccaneers to the playoffs, has thrown 11 touchdowns and two interceptions this season.
The Panthers (1-4) meanwhile seem likely to miss the playoffs for the seventh straight season and their QB future still remains unsettled.
The optimism from the Dalton-infused victory over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 3 has faded fast, and the Panthers now find themselves right back where they were before: a struggling football team coming off yet another blowout loss.
Dalton will remain the starter moving forward though.
The Panthers aren’t a particularly deep team, and injuries have curtailed any momentum from that win in Vegas.
They had already lost defensive end Derrick Brown, linebacker Shaq Thompson and wide receiver Adam Thielen — three of their best players — to injuries coming into Sunday, with the Brown and Thompson injuries being season-ending.
On Sunday, matters got worse as five more players went down: center Austin Corbett (torn biceps), right tackle Taylor Moton (triceps), outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney (shoulder), wide receiver Xavier Legette (shoulder) and tight end Tommy Tremble (concussion).
Corbett will miss the remainder of the season; Moton is expected to miss a few weeks, according to Canales.
Things got to a point at the end of Sunday’s game that Canales removed Dalton because he was getting hit in the pocket with two starting linemen out.
In came Young with his team down by 26 for his first mop-up duty since being benched, an all-too-painful reminder for the Panthers about how they got fleeced by the Bears in what may go down as one of the most lopsided trades in NFL history.
What’s working
Chuba Hubbard continues to be one of the few bright spots for the Panthers. He ran for 97 yards on just 13 carries, including a season-best 38-yard touchdown burst to put the Panthers up 7-0. Hubbard barely missed out on his third straight 100-yard rushing game, but has now run for 379 yards and scored three touchdowns over the past four games, while averaging 6.1 yards per carry. The Panthers are expected to get rookie Jonathan Brooks back from injured reserve in the coming weeks, but Hubbard is showing no signs of losing his hold on the starting job.
What needs help
The Panthers continue to get little production from their tight end position. Tommy Tremble caught a pass on Sunday and was hit and fumbled, leading to a Bears touchdown. (The Bears scored 17 points off turnovers). And rookie tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders had two drops — including one that would have moved the chains and put the Panthers in field-goal range — and a penalty. Through five games Carolina’s tight ends have combined for 15 catches for 90 yards and no touchdowns.
Stock up
Raheem Blackshear is quietly giving the Panthers some solid production as a return man. He averaged 33.7 yards per kickoff return on Sunday, including a long of 43 yards. He also averaged 10 yards per punt return. He is averaging 27.4 yards per kickoff return this season, which ranks among the best in the league.
Stock down
CB Jaycee Horn. He was supposed to be the team’s lockdown cornerback, but allowed another score on Sunday to former teammate Moore. The Panthers have allowed 11 passing touchdowns in five games. To make matters worse, a frustrated Horn was ejected for fighting in the end zone after the Bears final touchdown. Not good news for the 2021 first-round draft pick who is due for a contract extension after this season.
Injuries
Moton’s streak of 120 straight games played since joining the Panthers will end Sunday against the Falcons because of a triceps injury. Yosh Nijman will make the start at right tackle.
Brady Christensen will replace Austin Corbett, who is headed to injured reserve.
The Panthers opened the practice window for CB Dane Jackson and TE Ian Thomas last week after both began the season on injured reserve, so there is some hope both could return this week.
Key numbers
33 — Points allowed per game by the Panthers through five games, the most in the league.
Next steps
The Panthers return home to face Kirk Cousins and the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. Cousins threw for 509 yards and four touchdowns last week against the Buccaneers and now faces a Carolina secondary that has allowed 11 passing touchdowns in five games.
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