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3 backup QB options for Carolina Panthers if Bryce Young misses time

With Bryce Young likely on the mend for a while, where can the Panthers turn?
Zach Roberts|
Sep 7, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tommy DeVito (16) practices before the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
Sep 7, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tommy DeVito (16) practices before the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

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Carolina Panthers

With Bryce Young officially suffering a high ankle sprain on Sunday, it's time for the Carolina Panthers to consider life without him. He's not yet ruled out this week, but it's highly likely he won't play. He may miss more than one week, so Carolina might be rolling with Andy Dalton for a little while.

If Young is out, the Panthers would then need a backup for Dalton. They probably wouldn't make a move for someone to start over Dalton at this point, but someone who could play if Dalton went down. It's a nightmare scenario, but there are some options. As much as it would be incredible, no, Cam Newton is sadly not one of them.

Aidan O'Connell

Aidan O'Connel
Aug 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell (12) against the Arizona Cardinals during a preseason NFL game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders don't have a good QB room, but they also probably don't need three quarterbacks, so one of them is expendable. Aidan O'Connell is hurt right now, but he's expected to be back very soon after starting the year on IR, and the Panthers could do so much worse than a guy who started and played passably for a while very recently.

Tommy DeVito

Tommy DeVito, for a very brief moment, had better numbers than Bryce Young in 2023, the rookie season for both. He's now the third-string QB for the New England Patriots, but as he has starting experience and his own "Linsanity run," it would not be a bad idea to kick the tires on him being the backup for a little while.

Zach Wilson

The Miami Dolphins may or may not end up benching Tua Tagovailoa, but they moved Zach Wilson to QB3 on the depth chart, bumping Quinn Ewers up. He should be available, like these other players, for minuscule draft compensation, and as a former starter and top prospect, the Panthers could stand to benefit from bringing him in as a sort of reclamation backup while they wait for Young to heal.

Some other options include: CJ Beathard (free agent), Riley Leonard (Colts), Graham Mertz (Texans), and Hendon Hooker (practice squad). Out of all the options, Hooker seems most plausible.

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Zach Roberts
ZACH ROBERTS

Zachary Roberts is a journalist with a wide variety of experience covering basketball, golf, entertainment, video games, music, football, baseball, and hockey. He currently covers Charlotte sports teams and has been featured on Sportskeeda, Yardbarker, MSN, and On SI.

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