10-02-2025, 08:41 PM -
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6673658...-rankings/
NFL QB stock report, Week 5: Is Panthers QB Bryce Young a lost cause?
Bryce Young’s late-season surge in 2024 was supposed to signify a turning point in his career trajectory. But now that his momentum has fallen flat, there’s a potential issue brewing for the Carolina Panthers.
Still just 24 and in his third season, Young is anything but a complete product. If we’ve learned anything from the likes of Jared Goff, Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold, nobody’s story should ever be fully told at this stage of their career. Young has also bounced back from more dire circumstances, including last year’s early benching.
But the 2025 reviews are not favorable, according to a coach, an executive and a scout who have studied Young’s performances this season. He has been downright “awful” at some points during the Panthers’ 1-3 start, according to one evaluator who was granted anonymity so he could speak openly about another team’s player. He’s looked uncomfortable in the pocket, struggled to see the field, lacked anticipation and failed to be consistently accurate.
“I don’t think he’s the guy,” another evaluator said.
To be fair, the Panthers have been in rebuilding mode for the better part of a decade. They’ve churned through six head coaches, including interims, since 2019 before landing on current coach Dave Canales. And by continuously switching systems, it’s been years since they’ve been able to build a roster with a unified vision.
Worse, Mayfield and Darnold were both with the Panthers before Young’s arrival, and both have turned into quality starters since they left Carolina. So, while Young hasn’t played well, let’s not pretend he’s been dropped into an ideal situation.
The Panthers bet the house on Young being their franchise quarterback, yet they can’t be confident in their search for answers. In March 2023, the Panthers traded two first-round picks, two second-rounders and star wideout D.J. Moore to the Chicago Bears for the No. 1 pick, which they spent on Young. They had been overly motivated to find a star QB after years of positional purgatory, but the return on investment hasn’t materialized.
It’s not as though the Panthers went rogue in that draft. For most, Young did have the edge over C.J. Stroud and Anthony Richardson as the top QB of the class, so their evaluation was logical.
But other teams have since pushed back on the Panthers’ process, noting the massive risk of paying such a steep price to move up for a player who wasn’t considered a sure thing. What’s more, because of Young’s slender frame, executives said — both then and now — it was unwise to use the No. 1 pick on a player who’d have to prove to be the exception rather than the rule.
There’s been added pressure to make the pick work, too. Stroud delivered an outstanding rookie season, while the Panthers fired head coach Frank Reich after his 11th game; general manager Scott Fitterer was fired after the season. Meanwhile, one of the picks the Panthers traded for Young wound up being the No. 1 selection in 2024, where Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye were among the six first-round QBs available.
So yeah, it’s understandable why the Panthers feel a sense of desperation to make it work with Young. It’s why they invested in the offensive line and used back-to-back first-round picks on wide receivers. It’s why they hired Canales, who has done nice work in the past with quarterbacks Geno Smith and Mayfield.
Young should have enough runway to at least attempt to turn it around. Veteran Andy Dalton, who turns 38 next month, is the only other quarterback on the active roster, though Hendon Hooker is available on the practice squad. Suffice to say, the Panthers owe it to themselves to see it all the way through with Young.
The Panthers benched Young last season after two games, but those circumstances were different. Canales desperately needed a spark after his offense only mustered 13 points through two losses, and he needed a veteran to settle the masses. And although Dalton had faded by his fifth start, it’s unclear when he would have relinquished his perch if it weren’t for a thumb injury he suffered in a car accident.
Young played his best ball after returning to the huddle. He won four of his 10 starts down the stretch, completed 61.8 percent of his passes for 2,104 yards, 15 touchdowns and six interceptions; he added 223 rushing yards and five scores on the ground. By expected points per dropback, Young (0.07) ranked 18th among all qualified QBs during that span, a tick behind Darnold (0.08) and two picks back of Washington rookie phenom Daniels (0.09).
But Young hasn’t kept it going. He’s completed only 60.4 percent of his passes for 753 yards, five touchdowns and three picks this season while also losing a couple of fumbles. Among qualified passers, Young ranks 30th in EPA/dropback, ahead of only Titans rookie Cam Ward, Browns veteran Joe Flacco and Bengals backup Jake Browning.
At this point, the Panthers would be all but declaring their intentions to split with Young if they benched him again. If it does reach that point, it’s also likely the Panthers would be barreling toward their eighth consecutive season with a losing record. And since owner David Tepper bought the team in 2018, he’s never employed a head coach for three full seasons, which effectively puts Canales on the clock.
This, of course, is the type of turnover that keeps organizations in constant peril. It may also lead to the breaking point that opens the door for Young to find a fresh start with another team.
I do not think Bryce will ever be a starting QB anywhere else. Bryce is a great guy but sadly he is not cutting it here.
NFL QB stock report, Week 5: Is Panthers QB Bryce Young a lost cause?
Bryce Young’s late-season surge in 2024 was supposed to signify a turning point in his career trajectory. But now that his momentum has fallen flat, there’s a potential issue brewing for the Carolina Panthers.
Still just 24 and in his third season, Young is anything but a complete product. If we’ve learned anything from the likes of Jared Goff, Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold, nobody’s story should ever be fully told at this stage of their career. Young has also bounced back from more dire circumstances, including last year’s early benching.
But the 2025 reviews are not favorable, according to a coach, an executive and a scout who have studied Young’s performances this season. He has been downright “awful” at some points during the Panthers’ 1-3 start, according to one evaluator who was granted anonymity so he could speak openly about another team’s player. He’s looked uncomfortable in the pocket, struggled to see the field, lacked anticipation and failed to be consistently accurate.
“I don’t think he’s the guy,” another evaluator said.
To be fair, the Panthers have been in rebuilding mode for the better part of a decade. They’ve churned through six head coaches, including interims, since 2019 before landing on current coach Dave Canales. And by continuously switching systems, it’s been years since they’ve been able to build a roster with a unified vision.
Worse, Mayfield and Darnold were both with the Panthers before Young’s arrival, and both have turned into quality starters since they left Carolina. So, while Young hasn’t played well, let’s not pretend he’s been dropped into an ideal situation.
The Panthers bet the house on Young being their franchise quarterback, yet they can’t be confident in their search for answers. In March 2023, the Panthers traded two first-round picks, two second-rounders and star wideout D.J. Moore to the Chicago Bears for the No. 1 pick, which they spent on Young. They had been overly motivated to find a star QB after years of positional purgatory, but the return on investment hasn’t materialized.
It’s not as though the Panthers went rogue in that draft. For most, Young did have the edge over C.J. Stroud and Anthony Richardson as the top QB of the class, so their evaluation was logical.
But other teams have since pushed back on the Panthers’ process, noting the massive risk of paying such a steep price to move up for a player who wasn’t considered a sure thing. What’s more, because of Young’s slender frame, executives said — both then and now — it was unwise to use the No. 1 pick on a player who’d have to prove to be the exception rather than the rule.
There’s been added pressure to make the pick work, too. Stroud delivered an outstanding rookie season, while the Panthers fired head coach Frank Reich after his 11th game; general manager Scott Fitterer was fired after the season. Meanwhile, one of the picks the Panthers traded for Young wound up being the No. 1 selection in 2024, where Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye were among the six first-round QBs available.
So yeah, it’s understandable why the Panthers feel a sense of desperation to make it work with Young. It’s why they invested in the offensive line and used back-to-back first-round picks on wide receivers. It’s why they hired Canales, who has done nice work in the past with quarterbacks Geno Smith and Mayfield.
Young should have enough runway to at least attempt to turn it around. Veteran Andy Dalton, who turns 38 next month, is the only other quarterback on the active roster, though Hendon Hooker is available on the practice squad. Suffice to say, the Panthers owe it to themselves to see it all the way through with Young.
The Panthers benched Young last season after two games, but those circumstances were different. Canales desperately needed a spark after his offense only mustered 13 points through two losses, and he needed a veteran to settle the masses. And although Dalton had faded by his fifth start, it’s unclear when he would have relinquished his perch if it weren’t for a thumb injury he suffered in a car accident.
Young played his best ball after returning to the huddle. He won four of his 10 starts down the stretch, completed 61.8 percent of his passes for 2,104 yards, 15 touchdowns and six interceptions; he added 223 rushing yards and five scores on the ground. By expected points per dropback, Young (0.07) ranked 18th among all qualified QBs during that span, a tick behind Darnold (0.08) and two picks back of Washington rookie phenom Daniels (0.09).
But Young hasn’t kept it going. He’s completed only 60.4 percent of his passes for 753 yards, five touchdowns and three picks this season while also losing a couple of fumbles. Among qualified passers, Young ranks 30th in EPA/dropback, ahead of only Titans rookie Cam Ward, Browns veteran Joe Flacco and Bengals backup Jake Browning.
At this point, the Panthers would be all but declaring their intentions to split with Young if they benched him again. If it does reach that point, it’s also likely the Panthers would be barreling toward their eighth consecutive season with a losing record. And since owner David Tepper bought the team in 2018, he’s never employed a head coach for three full seasons, which effectively puts Canales on the clock.
This, of course, is the type of turnover that keeps organizations in constant peril. It may also lead to the breaking point that opens the door for Young to find a fresh start with another team.
I do not think Bryce will ever be a starting QB anywhere else. Bryce is a great guy but sadly he is not cutting it here.