Two games into his second NFL season, Bryce Young has shown no signs of improvement after a disappointing rookie campaign. It’s fair to say he’s regressed after two poor performances in the Carolina Panthers’ 0-2 start.

Young completed 13 of 30 passes for 161 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions in Carolina’s 47-10 loss to the New Orleans Saints in Week 1. On Sunday, he completed 8 of 14 passes for 84 yards (3.2 yards per attempt) with an interception against the Los Angeles Chargers in a 26-3 loss.

These aren’t numbers comparable to those of a starting NFL quarterback.

After the game, head coach Dave Canales was asked whether Young or veteran backup Andy Dalton will be Carolina’s quarterback in Week 3 against the Las Vegas Raiders. Here’s what he had to say:

What else can he say? The Panthers used the No. 1 overall draft pick to select Young in 2023. They spent a lot of capital to acquire that pick from the Chicago Bears, including a pick that became the No. 1 overall selection the Chicago Bears used to draft Caleb Williams in April.

They’re all for Young. At this point in his career, he’s a losing hand. But the Panthers have invested their football future in their young quarterback. Benching him 18 games into his career isn’t really an option, is it?

At the same time, how much damage does the loss and poor play do to Young’s confidence? Would giving him a break from live action to reset be good for him? There’s no easy answer to that. But it’s up to Canales to figure that out.

The Panthers brought in Canales to develop Young. He was the quarterbacks coach for the Seattle Seahawks and the offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he helped revive the careers of Geno Smith and Baker Mayfield, respectively. The Panthers are counting on a repeat performance as Young’s head coach.

So what’s the right answer? For now, according to Canales, it’s to keep Young playing. But if the awful offense and losses continue to mount, that answer will become increasingly difficult to justify. Whatever the answer — if there is one — Canales’ future as Carolina’s head coach depends on it.