The Carolina Panthers still haven’t answered their Bryce Young question.
Is he the long-term franchise QB? Or will they have to move on from him at the end of this season or next? It’s going to be a choice that defines the future of the franchise.
Pretty much no one knows how this is going to turn out for the Panthers.
“The Panthers are capable of beating the Packers and most other contenders on any given Sunday,” ESPN’s Ben Solak wrote on Tuesday, referencing their upcoming Thursday opponent. “But they’re also capable of losing in dramatic fashion to the one-win Buccaneers. And that’s because their quarterback remains a mystery bag even now, 50 starts into his NFL career. I know he’s getting better, but I’m not sure he’s getting better enough fast enough. I know he can make plays under pressure, but I’m not sure he makes enough big ones. I have one job (literally, this is my job), and I still can’t figure out what to do about Bryce Young.”
That’s the context that any quarterback news out of Carolina exists within.
That includes the latest intriguing trade speculation, which came Wednesday in a new article by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Matt Bowen.
They suggest that the Panthers could be involved in a trade for Kirk Cousins.
Kirk Cousins Panthers Rumor
The ESPN duo lists the Panthers as one of three “best fits” for Cousins, along with the Giants and Vikings.
Cousins has been starting and remains the starting quarterback at the moment for the Las Vegas Raiders ahead of No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza.
ESPN only lists Cousins’ chances of getting traded at 20%, but it’s fascinating to see the Panthers potentially involved.
“Cousins played well enough through seven games that he has trade value,” Fowler writes. “So does his contract, which after being reworked features a $1.3 million base salary. Aidan O’Connell, the Raiders’ QB3, is a former starter who could slide into the primary backup role to Fernando Mendoza if Las Vegas is ready to start the rookie. There are no glaring needs at quarterback leaguewide, but injuries happen every week. The Raiders have not planned to be overly active at the deadline.”
Cousins has won 91 games as an NFL starting quarterback and thrown 314 TD passes, including 16 already through seven games this season.
“He’s a pocket thrower who wins with timing and ball location,” Bowen writes. “Cousins can read it out post-snap and play as a ball distributor. He lacks the mobility to make plays outside of structure at a consistent rate, but he can get to the edges on boot concepts, and he fits best in a system that incorporates play-action elements. Cousins has thrown 16 touchdown passes and five interceptions this season.”
Why Panthers
Cousins’ fit with the Panthers would be a bit like Andy Dalton over the last few seasons — a reliable veteran to help Young.
This season, Cousins has also proven he can still make quality plays if needed, and with the Panthers contending for the playoffs, that wouldn’t be a bad trait in the backup.
Kenny Pickett is currently the Panthers’ backup QB and not a bad one, though, so it might be tough to see Carolina making such a deal unless someone got hurt in the two weeks before the Nov. 10 trade deadline.
Panthers Connected to 314-TD QB Trade Amid Bryce Young Questions