Bryce Young isn’t pretending the Carolina Panthers’ 2026 slate is friendly. It’s loaded, and he knows it.
Asked about the schedule during an interview on SportsCenter, Young was put in front of a brutal list of opponents: the Chicago Bears, Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Green Bay Packers, Denver Broncos, New Orleans Saints, Baltimore Ravens, Minnesota Vikings, Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks.
That kind of lineup leaves little room to breathe, but Young is coming off a season that gave the Panthers plenty to build on. He threw for 3,011 yards with 23 passing touchdowns and 11 interceptions, while adding 216 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. More importantly, he helped Carolina reach the playoffs for the first time since the 2017 campaign.
Now entering next season, the first overall pick in the 2023 draft has put together a solid body of work in Carolina: 8,291 passing yards, 49 passing touchdowns, 30 interceptions, 718 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns.
There’s also the business side of it. Young is scheduled to make $12.1 million next season in the fourth year of his rookie deal, and his fifth-year option is worth a guaranteed $25.9 million.
Inside the building, Panthers offensive coordinator Brad Idzik has been one of Young’s loudest believers. Idzik made it clear he wants Young with the game on the line.
"Just an ultimate competitor and distributor, and he's ice cold in the big moment," Idzik said about Young, via Panthers.com. "The competitor, for him, looks different.
But every single person in that team meeting room knows, this guy, he's going to give you everything he's got. He's going to extend every play to the very last second.
Go back to Miami last year, down 17, fourth down, and he's buying one extra tick with three guys barreling down on him just to be able to get that ball off to (Tetaroia McMillan) and keep us alive and eventually win the game.
"And then the clutch moments for him, where he doesn't bat an eye, that's just something he's always had. It goes back to Alabama, goes back to Mater Dei; he's a winner, and we've enjoyed watching all those fourth-quarter last-minute drives, giving us a chance in games."
In Other News...
Panthers Fans Have Waited A Long Time For This Backfield Twist
Training camps are opening, and for Carolina, one of the more intriguing early storylines is in the backfield. Jonathon Brooks is finally working his way back into the mix after a long stretch away, and his presence adds a different kind of pressure to a running back room that already includes Chuba Hubbard. For a team trying to sort out its offensive identity, that kind of competition matters.
Brooks path has been defined by repeated setbacks, including ACL tears in the same knee before and after he got into the league. Now the question is less about his talent than where he fits once the Panthers start sorting actual roles again. With camp beginning, Carolina has a chance to see whether this backfield can become a strength instead of just another unfinished project. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Just Got A Telling Verdict On Dan Morgans Defense Overhaul
The Panthers opened training camp this week with rookies arriving first and veterans set to follow, a familiar summer checkpoint for a team trying to turn last seasons 8-9 finish into something more lasting. Under president of football operations/general manager Dan Morgan and head coach Dave Canales, Carolina has spent the offseason trying to reinforce a roster that flashed enough to reach the playoffs, but still needed more help on defense to match that next step.
One national read on the work was encouraging. Veteran NFL writer Vinny Iyer gave Carolinas offseason an A-minus and slotted it ninth among the leagues 32 teams, pointing to the kind of defensive overhaul the Panthers have been chasing. The upgrade is aimed at fixing a pass rush that has lagged badly since 2023 and at giving the secondary more support, a combination that could make this camp feel a lot different if the new pieces settle in quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Dan Morgan Just Raised Two Big Panthers Camp Concerns
The Panthers opened training camp with the kind of injury and non-football absences that can quickly reshape the first few weeks of summer work. Dan Morgan said Ikem Ekwonu and Tershawn Wharton landed on the PUP list, Jaycee Horn and Bobby Brown were placed on NFI, and Taylor Moton is on the non-football illness list, while Jaylin Guilbeau was waived with an injury designation. For a roster trying to build continuity up front and in the secondary, it is a rough way to start camp.
Brady Christensens return on a one-year deal gives Carolina some needed flexibility across the offensive line, but it does not erase the uncertainty created by the missing bodies. The quarterback room is also in a strange spot after Will Griers unexpected retirement, with the Panthers carrying three passers and no plans to add a fourth. For a team trying to get through camp without losing ground, those are two areas worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]