Bryce Young’s first preseason action of 2026 didn’t give the Carolina Panthers much to feel good about.
On Saturday against the Buffalo Bills, Carolina’s first-team offense never found a rhythm. Young and the starters got three possessions and each one ended the same way: three plays, no first down, back to the sideline.
“Obviously not the start we wanted,” Young said. “We weren’t able to execute today. It sucks.”
Young finished 3 of 5 for 18 passing yards and took one sack. Afterward, he didn’t try to dress it up.
“We all want to do a better job, myself included,” Young said. “We all take ownership in that. Guys will look in the mirror, want to be better, so we’re going to be better.”
The performance came with plenty of attention on Young’s season ahead. He is due to make $12.1 million this year in the fourth season of his rookie deal, and his fifth-year option carries a guaranteed $25.9 million price tag.
The No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft is at a point where another strong year matters, especially with an extension still in the picture. If he slips and Carolina misses the postseason, the Alabama product could be moved next offseason.
Young’s 2025 season gave the Panthers a lot to build on. He threw for 3,011 yards, 23 touchdowns and 11 interceptions while adding 216 rushing yards and two rushing scores. That run helped Carolina reach the playoffs for the first time since the 2017 campaign.
He now enters 2026 with career numbers in Carolina of 8,291 passing yards, 49 passing touchdowns, 30 interceptions, 718 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns.
Even after winning the NFC South last season, the Panthers finished below .500 and needed help in Week 18 to lock up the division. With that backdrop, there will be plenty of eyes on what Carolina looks like this season.
Young, though, made it clear he isn’t interested in living in the rearview mirror.
“I’m not a big sit back, reflect, compare (person). Doesn’t really do anything for me.
So I don’t think about the past like that,” Young said. “I’m happy with the camp we’re having so far.
I’m happy with the growth as a unit. But it’s still early.
We’ve got a lot more to do.”
In Other News...
Panthers Offense Gave Fans Plenty To Worry About Saturday
Saturdays preseason game against the Bills offered the kind of early look the Panthers would rather forget on offense. The starting unit was on the field for just nine plays and never got a conversion going, with limited yardage and an overall rhythm that never really materialized. Missing Damien Lewis and Robert Hunt along the offensive line didnt help, and the group was forced to deal with pressure in the pocket and little room to work on the ground.
There were some unavoidable growing pains with new faces getting their first NFL snaps up front, but the bigger concern was how disconnected the whole operation looked. The play-calling never found a groove, and the absence of Chuba Hubbard only added to the questions about backfield depth. For a team trying to build some confidence heading into the season, it was the sort of showing that leaves more worry than reassurance. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Preseason Opener Exposed An Early Concern Behind Robert Hunt And Damien Lewis
The Panthers preseason opener against the Bills did not do much to ease concerns about the depth behind their starting guards, and the spotlight quickly shifted to the backup options trying to hold up the middle of the line. Brady Christensen was back on the field after a torn Achilles, which gives his uneven debut some context, while Chandler Zavala also had a rough night as Carolina tried to sort out what it has behind Damien Lewis and Robert Hunt.
For a team that wants to feel better about its protection and run game, the bigger issue is how fragile the guard picture could look if either starter misses time. Analysts Mike Kaye and Jared Feinberg both pointed to the same basic problem: the Panthers need more from the players tasked with backing up Lewis and Hunt, because the drop-off was hard to ignore in the preseason opener. [Read more 🡒]
Darren Waller Just Put One Panthers Offensive Question In Focus
The Panthers have added a familiar name to a position that has not been central to their passing game in recent seasons, signing veteran tight end Darren Waller as they continue reshaping the offense around new coordinator Brad Idzik. Waller brings a proven resume, including a Pro Bowl nod in 2020, and arrives as a player who has already moved through several NFL stops before landing in Carolina.
What makes the move interesting is less the name value than the fit. The Panthers have used tight ends in only a modest way lately, so Wallers presence naturally raises the question of how much of a role Idzik wants to carve out for him. If Carolina is going to get a real boost from the signing, the answer to that usage question will matter as much as anything Waller has done before. [Read more 🡒]