A lot has happened with the Carolina Panthers in the last week. They benched their starting quarterback, 2023 NFL Draft first pick Bryce Young, and opted to turn to backup quarterback Andy Dalton. Dalton, perhaps unsurprisingly, had immediate success where Young had struggled all season, and that has led to countless rumors regarding the future of Young in Carolina.
The Panthers remain adamant that they aren’t interested in trading Young at this time, and that they still believe he has a future with the team. That hasn’t stopped the rumors from flying, and that – reportedly – hasn’t stopped teams from reaching out to the Panthers to see if they’re really committed to keeping Young around. It’s only one game, but the performance Andy Dalton turned in – over 300 yards and 3 touchdowns – doesn’t reflect well on Young.
The success Dalton had in his first start with the 2024 Panthers could lead some to conclude the issue is Young, not the weapons around him, which could lead to the Panthers doubling-down on bringing weapons into the offense to surround Dalton, Young, or a potential future quarterback with. According to Bleacher Report NFL analyst Kristopher Knox, that could lead the Panthers toward pursuing another NFL Draft bust candidate, Tennessee Titans wide receiver Treylon Burks.
Burks was drafted in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Titans in the hopes that he could be a potent weapon for the team and eventually lead their wide receiver corps. That hasn’t panned out over the last three seasons, with Burks putting up almost no production in 2024 – just two catches for 11 yards. A change of scenery could be in Burks’ best interest, and if the Panthers want to surround their quarterback with weapons, they could make sense as a destination.
The Panthers drafted wide receiver Xavier Legette in the 2024 NFL Draft, but there are long-term questions surrounding their other top receivers. Adam Thielen is 34-years-old and just suffered an injury that has landed him on IR. His days in Carolina could be numbered – if not already over. Opposite Thielen is Diontae Johnson, whom the Panthers brought in from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Johnson is still just 28-years-old, but is on the last year of his contract and could command a higher price than the Panthers are willing to pay.
Obviously there’s no guarantee that a chance of scenery would do Burks any good. And it could end in disaster if the Panthers attempted to revitalize Burks career while simultaneously attempting to rebuild Young. However, with both having similar career outcomes to this point in their careers, it could lead to a bond developing that could benefit both players. It would also give the Panthers some insurance at the position moving forward should one or both of Thielen and Johnson leave in the offseason. The price on Burks shouldn’t be very high; it’s worth at least exploring.
