NFL insider confirms suspicion with Panthers QB Bryce Young’s injury status for Week 8 matchup against the Bills
The Carolina Panthers starting quarterback is expected to miss at least one week.
During the Carolina Panthers’ Week 7 win over the New York Jets, the Panthers took a massive loss when starting quarterback Bryce Young left the game and limped to the locker room in the third quarter.
Young attempted to scramble out of the pocket and had his ankle stepped on by Jets’ defender Jowon Briggs. According to Joe Person, X-rays came back negative on Young’s injured right ankle, but the expectations were that Young suffered a high ankle sprain once the results of the MRI came back.
On Monday, NFL insider Tom Pelissero confirmed those suspicions and what it means for the Panthers’ offense.
Bryce Young diagnosed with high ankle sprain, expected to miss at least one week
With high ankle sprains, the injury usually tends to sideline players two to four weeks, as Pelissero added. Yet, the Panthers are hopeful Young will only miss the team’s Week 8 matchup against the Buffalo Bills next Sunday.
For that game, the Panthers will turn to veteran backup Andy Dalton, who started five games for the team halfway through the season in 2024. Dalton entered the game in place of Young against the Jets and completed four of seven attempts, including a clutch third-down play to wide receiver Xavier Legette on the final drive to seal the win.
Backed with a strong run game now featuring Rico Dowdle and Chuba Hubbard, Panthers head coach Dave Canales had the utmost confidence in Dalton stepping in at quarterback.
“We’ll look at all that and see what the best version of us is. But right now, it’s running the football, and Andy can handle all those things,” Canales explained. “The pass game, the reps, the time on task with the group that we have: We got to stay within our core of our system. And you know, Andy’s fully involved in all that. So if he does play that, that’ll be the mode.”
During Dalton’s five starts in 2024, the Panthers went 1-4, with the only win coming in Dalton’s first start of the season against the Las Vegas Raiders. Dalton was put into the starting lineup to give Young the opportunity to sit and reset. An opportunity Young took full advantage of after returning to the starting lineup late last season and leading the team into the 2025 season.
Sunday will present a difficult challenge for the 37-year-old quarterback returning to the starting lineup, facing the reigning MVP, Josh Allen. As far as Dalton’s backup, last month the Panthers signed former Detroit Lions and Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Hendon Hooker to the practice squad.
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