3 winners (and 5 losers) from Panthers' humiliating loss against the Bears

Loser No. 4

Will Lee III - Carolina Panthers CB

The Carolina Panthers gave fourth-round rookie cornerback Will Lee III some big responsibilities against the Chicago Bears. This also meant they were willing to take the rough with the smooth.

Unfortunately, it was not a great day at the office for Lee. Aside from a couple of nice plays in coverage, he was targeted as a weak link with great success. Rome Odunze embarrassed him early on, and things didn't get much better after that.

This was a steep learning curve for Lee about what it takes to succeed at the next level. There were always going to be some growing pains from the first-year pro, but this represented a rude awakening in no uncertain terms.

The former Texas A&M star should still have a bright future. It's just one game, and Lee was never going to be a finished product right away. But he must improve drastically to justify long-term starting reps.

Winner No. 3

Bryce Young - Carolina Panthers QB

There is a lot riding on the 2026 season for Bryce Young. The quarterback is looking to prove he deserves a bumper new contract extension with the franchise. And based on his efforts in Week 1, he'll get it.

The Panthers may have lost, but Young couldn't have done much more. He was nothing short of exceptional, putting together the best first half of his professional career and doing everything possible to keep Carolina competitive when it looked like things were getting out of hand.

Young looked in complete control. He was poised, manipulated the pocket effectively, and took his shots downfield when they were available. Of course, winning is all that matters to him, but this was another sign that the former Alabama star is more than capable of taking the Panthers where they want to go.

If the defense had performed at even 50 percent of Young's level, the Panthers would have won. But it wasn't to be.

Loser No. 5

Ejiro Evero - Carolina Panthers DC

Giving up 59 points in a home opener is unacceptable. You can blame the players, and we have in this feature. But defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero must also be held accountable for the team's capitulation.

Evero is a polarizing figure. Fans wanted him gone after a historically bad 2024 season, but the Panthers extended him instead. He almost got the Las Vegas Raiders' head-coaching gig this offseason, which shows how highly he's regarded around the league.

This was a disaster.

The players didn't execute effectively, but Evero's play-calling in key moments just wasn't good enough. Ben Johnson knew what was coming and knew exactly how to counteract it, and the Bears ran away with the proceedings.

This is a massive wake-up call for Evero, with the coordinator facing severe criticism on social media during and after the game. He needs a strong response, or pressure on his job will only increase.

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