THE Carolina Panthers fell to 1-7 with a loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday. The mood around the team isn’t great these days, but it was a remarkable game for one reason: Bryce Young was back at center.

The former No. 1 pick took over the starting job with Andy Dalton sidelined due to injury. Young, who was in his second season in the NFL, was benched a few weeks into the season by an impatient Dave Canales. Obviously, his return to the field didn’t coincide with a victory, but Young wasn’t completely incompetent. He completed 24 of 37 passes for 224 yards and two touchdowns, which is Drew Brees-esque by his usual standards.

Did Young also throw some nasty interceptions? Of course he did, but small steps are still steps. The Panthers need to see a little more aggression and playmaking ability from the 23-year-old. At least he let Sunday in. That’s real progress, and it looks like Carolina is happy with Young’s first week back at the helm.

“The Panthers were encouraged by his improvements and overall commitment to the team upon his return to the field last week,” writes Dianna Russini of Athletics. “I expect the team to evaluate everything this offseason and make a decision on Young’s future in Carolina.”

That’s code for “don’t expect the Panthers to trade Bryce Young before the Nov. 5 deadline.”

Here is the simple truth of the situation, according to Russini’s report. The Panthers can get more for Young this offseason, so there’s every incentive to sit out the rest of this losing season to see what happens. If Young takes meaningful steps and begins to deliver on the promise of his draft position, the Panthers can move forward with him as their QB1. If he regresses and Carolina remains in the NFL basement, there’s a good chance the Panthers will target Young’s replacement in the 2025 draft.

Most teams in the midseason QB trade market are looking for short-term injury replacements or quality backups. Front offices generally don’t want to overhaul their entire quarterback room in Week 9. That means Young’s market is understandably muted. While waiting for the offseason, the Panthers can potentially attract interest from QB-needy teams looking for more permanent solutions. It wasn’t long ago that Young was the belle of the ball for scouts. He has fans all over the league.

The Panthers “continue to get multiple calls,” according to Russini, so make no mistake. The young suitors are real. The Panthers are rightly taking a patient approach, even if an anxious fan base would prefer more immediate and concrete action. Young’s value has never been lower. By letting him play the entire season, Carolina can also give Young a chance to increase his value. Even if Carolina doesn’t commit to Young long term, there are potentially mutual benefits to having a productive second half for the Alabama product.

So… don’t expect Andy Dalton to take charge anytime soon. Carolina will hedge the bets and keep the doors openbut there’s no reason to end a lousy, losing campaign with your 36-year-old mentor running the show. Let Young thrive or flounder, then reopen trade talks next spring.