Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young returns to the starting lineup for the first time since Week 2 after Andy Dalton sprained his right thumb in a car accident this week. However, his return is under less than ideal circumstances.
The first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft will face the 4-3 Denver Broncos, the NFL's No. 3 scoring defense (15.1 points per game allowed), without much of the Panthers' supporting cast on both sides of the ball. Carolina's top two wide receivers are already ruled out for Sunday in wide receiver Diontae Johnson (rib), wide receiver Adam Thielen (hamstring). A number of defensive contributors are also not suiting up against the Broncos: safety Nick Scott (hamstring), safety Jordan Fuller (hamstring), outside linebacker D.J. Wonnum (quadriceps) and safety Jammie Robinson (knee). That won't help a Panthers squad that has been outscored by 133 points in its first seven games this season, the worst such margin since the 2019 Miami Dolphins, affectionately known as the "tank for Tua" team. The Panthers defense has allowed 34 or more points in four consecutive games, the longest such streak in franchise history.
However, Johnson's absence may not be purely injury-related. Coach Dave Canales was asked on Friday if Johnson, Carolina's top receiver, being held out had anything to do with the trade deadline, and his answer wasn't no.
"Those are all conversations [general manger] Dan [Morgan] and [executive VP of football operations] Brandt [Tilis] will handle," Canales said, via The Athletic. "For me, it's like I want to do the best thing for Diontae, the best thing for the offense and the continuity that we're trying to get done and the fact that we couldn't get him back on the field this week, I felt confident about the guys being able to step in there and do it."
Young will have an uphill battle on Sunday in Denver with a depleted team against a Broncos defense that leads the NFL with 112 quarterback pressures and ranks second in sacks (28).
