The Carolina Panthers are heading toward a big decision on Bryce Young, and the way that decision gets framed could matter just as much as the contract itself.
An extension next spring is likely, but not locked in. There’s also a wide gap between what that deal could look like in length and value. That’s why Mina Kimes raised the question on her podcast with NFL analyst Robert Mays: what does Young need to do this season for the Panthers to view him as their long-term starter?
Mays did not exactly lower the bar.
“You'd have to be knocking on the door of like a championship-caliber offense. Like if you finish this year 12th in some offensive efficiency metric and you could talk yourself into taking another small step forward next year.”
He expanded on that idea by pointing to the kind of roster support the Panthers would need around Young.
“[It could be] for as simple of a reason as 'We lost Chris Brazzell... He would've given us the opportunity to do all this different stuff...' If you can get [Taylor] Moton back at some point this year, move [Monroe] Freeling to left tackle, can the offensive line be even better next year?”
Mays wrapped it up by saying Dan Morgan would need to believe this offense can win a Super Bowl next season before extending Young.
“At a certain point, you have to be ready to compete. You've spent the money. At a certain point, you have to be knocking on the door.”
That’s a massive standard for any quarterback, let alone one trying to steer an offense that still has plenty of rough edges. The Panthers have invested money, but most of that spending has gone to defense.
On offense, the picture is much shakier. Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker are good, and that’s about where the sure things stop.
The running game has more questions than answers, and the offensive line lacks continuity and chemistry. Right now, the team is basically rolling out two backup tackles.
That’s why the idea of Young needing to drag this group into borderline elite territory in one season feels unrealistic. It would be a brutal ask for almost any quarterback, and it hardly seems like the right way to judge whether Young should get an extension.
No one is pretending the bar should be low. Young was a first-round pick, a first overall pick, and the Panthers traded a haul to get him.
That naturally raises the expectations. But those outside pressures shouldn’t be the lens for evaluating him.
The cleaner way to look at it is simple: judge Bryce Young for what he is, not for what the draft slot or trade package says he ought to become. He has earned more runway than a fourth-round quarterback would get, but that doesn’t mean he should be measured against a standard built on the Panthers’ past decisions.
And while it’s true that teams need top-level quarterback play to win a Super Bowl, that kind of player is rare. Only five to seven NFL teams have found one. Chasing that perfect answer forever can leave a team stuck passing on solid options while waiting for something better that may never show up.
In Other News...
Panthers Backfield Concerns Just Brought Home A Familiar Name
The Panthers turned to a familiar roster-building move on Sept. 3, signing running back Ahmani Marshall to the practice squad while releasing offensive lineman Isaia Glass in a corresponding transaction. Marshall arrives with some recent NFL background, having spent time in Browns camp and on Clevelands practice squad before being cut, and Carolina is clearly looking for help in the backfield after injuries thinned out the room.
It is the kind of addition that can matter more than it looks on paper, especially this early in the season when teams are still sorting out depth and durability. Marshall now gets a chance to re-enter the conversation in Carolina, and the larger question is whether this is just a temporary patch or the first move in a more complicated backfield reset. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Final Roster Shakeup Created One Clear Winner And Loser
The Panthers roster decisions ahead of the season brought a little more clarity to the depth chart, and a little more intrigue to the back end of the roster. Carolina kept quarterback Haynes King after he flashed in the preseason, a nice reward for a summer in which he forced his way into the conversation, while the team also made a notable addition at linebacker in Bobby Okereke as it trimmed to 53.
For Jermaine Wallace, the ripple effect was immediate, since the arrival of Okereke helped push him off the roster. There was a bit of encouraging news elsewhere, too, with Dave Canales saying he remains optimistic about Chuba Hubbards Week 1 availability despite the recent soreness, but the bigger takeaway is that the Panthers used cutdown day to make a couple of firm statements about who mattered most right now. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers First Round Decision Looks Smarter Than Fans Realized
The Panthers first-round choice drew plenty of second-guessing when the draft ended, but the picture around it has changed quickly. Monroe Freeling is now in the starting tackle role after Taylor Motons injury, and that kind of immediate need has a way of making a front office look far more foresighted than it did on draft night. Carolina has spent the early part of the season learning how thin the margin can be up front, and Freelings arrival now looks tied directly to one of the teams most important spots.
Makai Lemon, who had been floated as another possible target for Carolina, has only added to the retrospective argument by struggling through the preseason. The Panthers are still being judged on the whole set of draft decisions, but this is the kind of development that can change the tone around a pick fast. What once looked like a reach now appears to have lined up neatly with a real roster need, and in Carolinas case those are the kinds of calls that tend to matter most. [Read more 🡒]