With a loaded 2026 NFL Draft quarterback class on the horizon, Bryce Young is under pressure to prove he’s Carolina’s franchise cornerstone, or risk being replaced.
The Bryce Young experiment may be running out of time in Carolina.
Just two years removed from selecting him No. 1 overall, the Carolina Panthers face a pivotal decision entering the 2025 NFL season. After a rookie year riddled with poor protection, limited weapons, and growing pains, Young finished 2023 with just 11 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, and a 73.7 passer rating. The Panthers benched him in 2024 before he returned late in the season to finish strong. But “strong” may not be enough in today’s NFL.
Young must take a definitive leap in 2025, or the Panthers could turn the page.
With the 2026 NFL Draft expected to feature one of the deepest quarterback classes in recent memory, Carolina is quietly preparing for every scenario. Names like Arch Manning (Texas), Drew Allar (Penn State), Garrett Nussmeier (LSU), and LaNorris Sellers (South Carolina) headline a group brimming with arm talent, size, and athletic upside, the kind of traits teams covet when rebooting a franchise.
Analysts are already linking Carolina to some of these names. Brentley Weissman of Pro Football Network recently projected Arizona State’s Sam Leavitt to the Panthers in 2026, calling the dual-threat QB “a gamer who checks every box teams look for.” After throwing for 2,885 yards and 24 touchdowns in his first year as a starter, Leavitt’s stock is climbing, and he may not be a Day 2 option for long.
In today’s NFL, third-year quarterbacks are expected to lead, not develop. If Young can’t produce in 2025, Carolina may decide they’ve seen enough. With a new front office and head coach likely wanting their own guy under center, the pressure is real.
It’s Bryce Young’s job to lose, but with a stacked 2026 QB class waiting, the Panthers won’t hesitate to make a move if their former No. 1 pick doesn’t meet expectations. The clock is ticking in Charlotte.
