The Panthers did what they had to do up front this offseason. Carolina went after the offensive line, and the upgrades should give Bryce Young more comfort than he’s had in the pocket in a while. But the bigger point here is that Young didn’t exactly need the same level of investment to keep functioning.
That’s what makes this a little more interesting than a simple “better line, better quarterback” story. Yes, Young improved after the Panthers improved his protection.
Yes, a stronger offensive line should help him again in 2026. But the numbers also say he’s been more capable of surviving messy protection than people might assume.
Carolina has arguably patched its two weakest spots on the line by bringing in Rasheed Walker or Monroe Freeling at left tackle and Sam Hecht at center. That should matter for a quarterback who does well when he can process quickly and also make plays when things break down.
Still, Young has shown he can handle trouble better than most. In 2025, he was one of the most efficient quarterbacks at preventing pressures from becoming sacks, posting a pressure-to-sack ratio around 13.5%. And when he avoids the sack, the production jumps in a huge way: a +26.5 total EPA.
That split tells the story. Under pressure, Young is basically an average quarterback, with his EPA hovering around net neutral.
But when he gets out of trouble, he’s a different player entirely. He’s not just surviving those moments; he’s winning them.
PFF’s list of quarterbacks who suffer the biggest clean-to-pressure drop-offs didn’t include Young, either. Geno Smith, C.J.
Stroud, Joe Flacco, Bo Nix, and Drake Maye were on that list, not him. So while Young isn’t in the danger zone there, the broader picture suggests he can manage less-than-ideal protection better than plenty of his peers.
That doesn’t mean Carolina should have stood pat on the offensive line. It does mean the Panthers may have gone a little heavier there than Young strictly required.
Even so, better protection is better protection, and Young should be more comfortable under center because of it. The Panthers may have spent more than they absolutely needed to, but they’re unlikely to regret making life easier for their quarterback.
In Other News...
Panthers Camp Has Turned Bryce Youngs Backup Job Into A Real Fight
Training camp has turned the backup quarterback job behind Bryce Young into one of the more interesting spots on the Panthers roster, with three names in the mix and very different paths to this point. Kenny Pickett arrives as the former first-round pick and the most established of the group, while Haynes King is trying to turn camp reps into a real foothold after entering the league undrafted. Will Grier is back in the conversation too, giving Carolina a familiar face in a competition that now has at least a little intrigue.
Pickett still looks like the safest bet to handle the No. 2 role, but the Panthers have more going on than just that pecking order. Kings development gives the team a useful wild card, and Grier is hanging around as the long-shot option in a room that could get squeezed once roster decisions start tightening elsewhere. Even if the backup spot seems to have a clear front-runner, there is still enough movement here to keep the quarterback picture worth watching through the rest of camp. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Fans Wont Love What This Says About Monroe Freeling
Monroe Freeling arrived in Carolina with first-round expectations, but the early picture around the rookie tackle is more about patience than immediate impact. The Panthers have had him working at both tackle spots, giving him a chance to learn the full scope of the position as he settles in and adjusts to the speed of the pro game.
For now, the bigger takeaway is that Freeling looks like a long-term investment rather than a quick fix. Carolina sees him as a developmental piece who could grow into either tackle job down the line, especially with the current starters moving toward future contract decisions, but that also means fans hoping for an instant fix may need to wait. [Read more 🡒]
49ers May Have A Tough QB Decision Before The Deadline
The quarterback picture in San Francisco is crowded enough that a move before the deadline is easy to imagine, even with Brock Purdy entrenched and Mac Jones sitting in a murkier spot. Jones is entering the final year of his contract, and that alone makes him one of the more watchable names on the roster if the 49ers decide to listen and a team sees a chance to get him out of the building sooner rather than later.
For Carolina, the interest is obvious enough to keep in mind whenever the Panthers' quarterback conversation comes up. If they decide Bryce Young is not the long-term answer, Jones profiles as the kind of passer a club could try to build around instead of simply patching the position for a season, which is why this is the sort of situation worth tracking as the deadline gets closer. [Read more 🡒]