When the Panthers benched Bryce Young after Week 2, rumors about a 2025 separation swirled. The staff had bailed on a No. 1 general choose after 17 begins, resulting in commerce affords coming in earlier than the deadline. A lot has modified over the previous two months.
Andy Dalton sustaining minor accidents in a automobile accident led Younger again into Carolina’s lineup, and the staff didn’t sit him down. Younger performed a lot better throughout this season’s second half and is poised to have an opportunity to construct on that momentum heading into subsequent season. Each David Tepper and Dave Canales supplied endorsements of the previous Heisman winner as Carolina’s 2025 starter.
Tepper mentioned (via NFL.com’s Cameron Wolfe) he thinks the Panthers have “acquired our QB right here,” whereas Canales mentioned postgame (via The Athletic’s Joe Person) the staff certainly has its man on the place. Younger closed the season with a 251-yard passing outing in a sport that featured him account for 4 touchdowns, powering the Panthers to knock the Falcons out of the playoff race.
“Bryce is our quarterback. I’m so happy with the best way that he took the problem and he simply grew,” Canales mentioned. “Each week he took new classes, new issues, utilized it to his sport. Was engaged, difficult the blokes, the entire thing.”
After checking in with a QBR south of 10 upon being benched, Younger made vital strides underneath Canales after his second 2024 stint because the staff’s starter. Younger, who struggled all through his rookie season whereas main an undermanned offense, ranked twentieth in QBR (54.5). Younger piloted the Panthers to a 4-6 document as soon as he reclaimed the reins, ending the season with 15 TD passes (to 9 INTs) and a 6.3 yards-per-attempt quantity. These are clearly not franchise QB-caliber numbers, however they characterize an enchancment that has modified Carolina’s QB outlook.
A supply near Younger mentioned (via ESPN.com’s David Newton) Canales gave up on Younger upon benching him, and Younger questioned at factors if he had a future in Charlotte. With Canales not classifying the benching as a reset — as a substitute shifting to Dalton on a full-time foundation — Younger was definitely inside his rights to precise concern about his long-term NFL future. Although, the staff had planned to give Young more starts earlier than season’s finish; Dalton’s automobile accident accelerated that timetable. The Panthers, although, rebuffed midseason trade interest — because the Colts did with Anthony Richardson — even when they nonetheless had been noncommittal about Younger’s post-2024 standing at that time. That stance has since modified.
After the Panthers made a number of signings and draft investments to beef up their offense to higher equip Younger, they’re now once more dedicated to bettering his scenario. The Panthers may have some work to do at vast receiver, having traded Diontae Johnson and Jonathan Mingo and with Adam Thielen wrapping an age-34 season, however the staff added high-priced guards Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis — earlier than extending Chuba Hubbard. Extra work can definitely be finished round Younger’s rookie contract, which runs by 2026. The Panthers don’t have to make their fifth-year possibility name on the 5-foot-10 QB till Could of that 12 months.
