Luke Fortner isn’t losing sleep over Bryce Young’s height.
That’s the message from the Carolina Panthers’ new center, who is settling into Charlotte after spending the first four seasons of his NFL career with the Jacksonville Jaguars and New Orleans Saints. Fortner, a former third-round pick, signed a one-year deal with the reigning NFC South champs this past spring, and one of his first tasks is getting synced up with Young.
The quarterback-center pairing looks a little different than what Fortner had before. He spent time snapping to Trevor Lawrence, listed at 6-foot-6, and Tyler Shough, listed at 6-foot-5.
Young comes in at 5-foot-10. Still, Fortner said the difference doesn’t really change the job.
"There's really not much," Fortner said of the difference, via Hill. "The only thing is Trevor might be able to catch a snap that's a little higher than Bryce, but put it where it's supposed to be, you don't have to. I mean, there's no world in which it's not my fault on that one."
Fortner’s timing in Carolina comes with some momentum behind him. According to Pro Football Focus, he posted the best season of his pro career in 2025, earning personal highs in overall offense (66.5), pass blocking (72.5) and run blocking (65.3).
That experience could matter right away in a center battle that includes rookie Sam Hecht, a fifth-round pick in the 2026 draft. The winner will be the first to replace Cade Mays, who served as Young’s primary center over the last two seasons.
And if spring work is any indication, Fortner feels good about where things are headed.
"It feels a lot better because you get to experience this time of year and these OTAs in the spring with Bryce," Fornter stated. "So, I'm really excited about the way it's feeling."
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