Bryce Young has given the Panthers something they haven’t had in a while: real reason to feel good about the quarterback spot.
That’s a big turn for a player who, not too long ago, was still answering questions about whether he could live up to being the No. 1 overall pick three years ago. The tone around Young has changed since he returned to the starting lineup in the middle of the 2024 season. He finished that year on a positive note, and the arrow kept pointing up from there.
The 2025 season wasn’t spotless, but it did show why Carolina kept believing. Young’s play came with some ups and downs, yet he found ways to deliver when it mattered most. That clutch edge helped push the Panthers to their first playoff appearance since 2017 and their first NFC South title since 2015.
Heading into 2026, that progress has made Young Carolina’s biggest source of optimism, according to Josh Petry of Touchdown Wire. Petry wrote:
Not too long ago, a ton of questions surrounded Bryce Young at QB; now the conversation is very different... It is time for the training wheels to come off.
They beat the Rams during the regular season and lost to them 34-31 in the Wild-Card round. Being in a game with a team like the Rams gives hope for the future.
As the Panthers continue to build around Bryce Young, he should keep improving and maintain his newfound momentum as an NFL QB.
That’s the heart of the story for Carolina: the talent is starting to show through, and the organization has a chance to build on it. If Young carries over the momentum he found last season, the Panthers could end up being a lot more dangerous than many around the league expect.
Still, the next step is obvious. Consistency has to come with the growth.
Young’s production has been uneven at times, and the numbers reflect that. In 45 career starts, including the postseason, he has thrown for at least 250 yards only eight times.
There’s also a bigger financial angle looming. If Young keeps trending the right way, he could be in position for a new long-term deal after this season. For now, though, the Panthers have something more immediate: a quarterback whose momentum finally matches the belief they had in him from the start.
In Other News...
Bryce Young Debate Just Took Another Turn For Panthers Fans
Bryce Youngs future in Carolina has been one of the leagues most debated quarterback topics, and the conversation got another push this week when former Panthers general manager Marty Hurney voiced confidence in the former No. 1 pick. Youngs record as a starter has left plenty of room for skepticism, but he has also piled up more than 8,000 passing yards and 49 touchdowns since arriving in Carolina, enough production to keep the argument alive about what he can become with the right support around him.
Panthers offensive coordinator Brad Idzik added to that optimism by pointing to Youngs competitiveness and his ability to deliver in critical moments. Even with the questions that still follow him, Youngs first appearance on the NFLs Top 100 list at No. 98 suggests the league is starting to take notice of his progress. The bigger issue now is whether Carolina sees enough consistency to make a longer-term commitment, or whether this remains a wait-and-see situation heading into the offseason. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Just Got Linked To A Bryce Young Backup Plan
Bryce Youngs uneven start has kept the Panthers in the conversation any time quarterback speculation comes up, and the latest round of chatter points to Carolina once again being linked to a possible backup plan. The idea is not hard to understand: the franchise still needs to sort out what it has at the position, and any hint of another young quarterback with upside is going to draw attention.
One name being floated around the league is a former top pick whose tools still intrigue evaluators even though the results have been mixed. The appeal is obvious for a team that is still searching for stability under center, but the real question is whether Carolina would see enough value to make a move and try to unlock a different kind of talent than the one already in the room. [Read more 🡒]