Quarterback Bryce Young will get to work with Carolina on Friday when the Panthers open their three-day rookie minicamp.

But when will the first pick of the 2023 NFL Draft play for Carolina?

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During an appearance on NBC Sports’ “ProFootball Talk” last week, Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer said it might not be right away.

“We’re going to rely on our coaches – (senior assistant) Jim Caldwell, (head coach) Frank Reich, (offensive coordinator) Thomas Brown — to decide when it’s right,” Fitterer said. “We don’t have a timeline. We’re not saying, ‘Hey, this guy’s going to start the first game’ or ‘We’re not going to play him at all this year.’ When the time is right or we felt like he’s got enough of a mastery of the offense where he can go out and operate this and be successful, that’s when he’ll be out there.

“We went out and signed Andy Dalton for a reason. He played as a rookie. He’s got a lot of experience. He understands his role, and we can play good football. If Andy’s the guy to start the season, and he’s the starter right now heading into the season, then he’ll be the guy. When Bryce is ready or Matt Corral is ready, whoever it may be, that’ll be the time they go in. We say it’s open competition, but Frank did say, ‘Hey, Andy’s our guy right now.’ He’ll walk into the season as the starter, and then as the young guys compete underneath him, then they’ll go in when they’re ready.”

RELATED: BRYCE YOUNG GETS HIS NUMBER WITH THE PANTHERS

On its way to a 7-10 record, Carolina started three quarterbacks last season. Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold started six games apiece, and P.J. Walker started five. They combined for 16 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions. All those quarterbacks are gone.

The Panthers signed Dalton to a two-year, $10 million contract in March with an eye toward putting a veteran in the position room with the No. 1 pick.

Dalton received the first of his three Pro Bowl invitations with the Cincinnati Bengals as a rookie in 2011.

After nine seasons as the Bengals’ No. 1 QB, Dalton signed to back up Dak Prescott in 2020, but he ended up starting nine games for the Dallas Cowboys. After the Bears used the 2021 draft’s 11th pick on Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields, Dalton opened the 2021 season under center for Chicago and started six games. Last season, Dalton started 14 games for the New Orleans Saints after Jameis Winston got hurt.

Corral joined Carolina from Ole Miss in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Corral did not ride the Panthers’ quarterback carousel. He spent his rookie season on injured reserve after sustaining a preseason foot injury.

To obtain Young, Carolina traded first- and second-round choices in the 2023 draft, a first-round pick in 2024, a second-round selection in 2025 and wide receiver D.J. Moore to the Bears. Chicago traded both this year’s picks and came away with Tennessee offensive tackle Darnell Wright and Miami (Fla.) cornerback Tyrique Stevenson as draft choices and a fourth-round choice in the 2024 draft to go with its future picks from the Panthers.

Carolina picked Young from Alabama after he won the Heisman Trophy in 2021 and finished sixth in the voting for the award in 2022.

Over the past two seasons with the Crimson Tide, Young completed 611-of-927 passes for 8,200 yards with 79 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He ranks second in Alabama history in passing yards to AJ McCarron and in touchdown passes to Tua Tagovailoa.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.