The No. 1 overall pick is back to being the Carolina Panthers’ QB1.
Bryce Young, who missed Week 3 due to an ankle injury, will start at quarterback versus the visiting Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, head coach Frank Reich announced Friday.
“Bryce is our quarterback,” Reich said, per the team website’s Augusta Stone.
Young has been a full participant in practice each day this week after he missed all of the previous week’s sessions and has no injury designation going into Sunday. However, running back Miles Sanders (groin), wide receiver Jonathan Mingo (concussion) and linebacker Frankie Luvu (hip) are each questionable.
The Panthers (0-3) and Vikings (0-3) will face off in one of two matchups Sunday featuring winless teams.
During Carolina’s Week 3 defeat to the Seattle Seahawks, the Panthers’ offense scored a season-best 27 points with a season-high 378 yards. Veteran Andy Dalton threw for 361 yards and a pair of touchdowns in place of Young.
Still, it’s unsurprising that a healthy Young will return to the starting lineup.
Though Dalton could give the Panthers a chance of winning now, Young is the future of the franchise and needs to stack up reps and experience.
So far, the top choice in the 2023 draft has struggled.
In two games, Young is averaging a paltry 149.5 passing yards, 4.2 yards per attempt and has thrown two touchdowns to two interceptions.
He’ll be vying for his first NFL win — and the Panthers’ first of the season — on Sunday.
