Bryce Young won’t be on the field Thursday night when the Carolina Panthers open the NFL preseason against the Arizona Cardinals in the Hall of Fame Game.
Panthers head coach Dave Canales made it clear the team is treating this one strictly as an evaluation opportunity. No “clear-cut starters” will play, and that includes Young. Canales also said Kenny Pickett will start at quarterback for Carolina, while Monroe Freeling will sit out as well.
That leaves the Panthers to piece together their offense around backups and young players, but they still enter Canton as 1.5-point favorites in what is technically a neutral-site game in Canton, Ohio. DraftKings Sportsbook lists Carolina at -118 on the moneyline, with the total set at 35.5 points.
The betting line makes sense on paper. Arizona is expected to be one of the league’s weaker teams this season, and both sides figure to lean heavily on reserves. Even so, the Panthers’ quarterback setup gives them a real edge in this matchup.
Pickett, a former first-round pick, brings plenty of NFL experience to the table, even if it’s unclear how long he’ll stay in the game. Carolina could also give rookie Haynes King snaps. King turned in a strong 2025 season at Georgia Tech and adds a different element with his legs.
The Cardinals will counter with Carson Beck, their third quarterback selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, though he didn’t come off the board until the third round. Arizona is also expected to use veteran Jacoby Brissett at quarterback to begin the season, and Brissett has already proven he can handle NFL starts.
Still, the Panthers’ decision to keep Young on the sideline has opened the door for an upset pick on the Arizona side. SI Betting’s Iain MacMillan pointed to Carolina’s preseason habits and the recent underdog trend in the Hall of Fame Game when making his case.
“One of the most important things to consider when betting on the NFL Preseason is how each coach has historically done in exhibition games. Some coaches use these games simply as an evaluation tool, while others try their best to win.”
“Dave Canales falls under the former of the two categories. The Panthers are just 1-5 straight up and 0-6 against the spread in preseason games since he has taken over as head coach. For the Cardinals, this will be Mike LaFleur's head coaching debut, so we have no history to lean on.”
“Underdogs have also had a history of coming through for bettors in recent iterations of this game, going 8-2-1 against the spread dating back to 2013.”
“Canales's preseason record and the recent underdog trend are enough for me to bet the Cardinals to pull off the slight upset.”
Carolina’s next preseason game is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 15 against the Buffalo Bills, and Young could make an appearance then. The Panthers have four preseason games in 2026 to get their former top pick ready for the regular season.
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
In Other News...
Luke Kuechly Just Reignited A Panthers Hall Of Fame Debate
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Kuechly also publicly pushed Cam Newtons Hall of Fame case, pointing to the quarterbacks peak as a defining stretch worth remembering, and he brought up Greg Olsen as another name who could eventually enter the discussion. With Kuechly set to deliver his induction speech in Canton, the Panthers most decorated modern star is once again steering attention toward a familiar question about how that franchises prime should be judged - and who from it belongs in football immortality. [Read more 🡒]
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Bryce Young Just Put Carolinas Next Step On Himself
Bryce Young spent part of the offseason talking about more than just what he did in his first full year as the Panthers starter. In an interview with Mike Tomlin, Young discussed how he views leadership and the challenge of adjusting to a roster that keeps changing around him, a reality for a Carolina team still trying to turn one breakthrough season into something more lasting. After Young topped 3,000 passing yards and threw 23 touchdowns, he helped push the Panthers to an NFC South title and back into the playoffs.
The next step, though, is a tougher one to define. Carolinas playoff loss to the Rams was close, but it also exposed how quickly things can tilt when the offensive line is banged up and the running game never really settles in. Young has already shown he can help lift the floor, and now the question is whether he can help steady a team that may need even more from its quarterback as the pieces around him continue to shift. [Read more 🡒]