5 Carolina Panthers players fighting for their futures after the 2024 bye week

Bryce Young - Carolina Panthers QB

This one is the most obvious. It also happens to be at football's most important position by a considerable margin.

The Carolina Panthers are still in need of a long-term solution at quarterback. But make no mistake, former No. 1 overall selection Bryce Young panning out would be the best-case scenario for the franchise's future.

Young's production and overall confidence have grown considerably since he reintroduction into the starting lineup. It's not the finished product just yet, but it's a major step forward based on what fans were forced to witness over the opening two games before his benching.

This was also recognized by head coach Dave Canales. He's moving forward with Young as the team's starter following the bye week. However, the ex-Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator was keen to state that this remains a week-to-week evaluation where the Heisman Trophy winner out of Alabama is concerned.

Things are about to get a lot tougher for Young. The Panthers welcome the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs to Bank of America Stadium in Week 12, who have one of the best defenses and defensive coaches in the league - Steve Spagnuolo.

After that, they face a gauntlet of strong defenses coached by veteran coordinators. The Panthers play Tampa Bay twice, the Philadelphia Eagles on the road, and they are also at the Atlanta Falcons for their season finale.

This represents a genuine measuring stick for Young. It's not going to be easy, but the signal-caller must deliver to stand any chance of getting a reprieve in 2025. Nothing else will do.

A sputter in play will most likely result in Young’s time with the Panthers being over. But if he can continue to build on his play and acquire more self-belief, Carolina may have its franchise guy.  

It's a situation that could go either way. And the margin for error remains razor-thin.

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