Bryce Young has made some impressive improvements this season. The Carolina Panthers may be only 3-5, but the quarterback has emerged as a shining light amid the inconsistency, bolstering his chances of a lucrative financial commitment when the campaign concludes.
This was also reflected in Young's place in FanSided's midseason quarterback rankings, where the signal-caller surged after some sterling performances so far.
FanSided's experts and editors from all 32 teams ranked every quarterback on a scale from 1 to 11. They were then ranked based on the cumulative average of the scores, and the halfway point brought some positive results for Young.
Bryce Young is making people see him differently after impressive Carolina Panthers start
Carolina's main man climbed nine positions to No. 16. His 7.90 score was up 0.83 from before the campaign, but it suggests some are still not fully convinced by his long-term outlook.
That's par for the course, honestly.
Young will always have his skeptics. His critics are becoming fewer and less credible, but all it takes is one indifferent performance to bring them out of the woodwork.
Pride is a wonderful and perilous thing. Young's pre-draft doubters who thought he was too small to justify being a high pick are having a hard time eating their words. It happens, but belief in the player has never been firmer inside the building.
Rumors are already swirling around the league about a contract extension for Young. They are reportedly working on a new deal behind the scenes, which could end up being north of $50 million per season. That shifts the goalposts and raises expectations, but it's nothing he isn't ready for.
Carolina Panthers will gladly pay Bryce Young is he finishes as well as he started
Young has taken on a more prominent leadership role this season. He looks more assured as a passer and more comfortable with offensive coordinator Brad Idzik calling plays. It's not perfect yet, but the growth, especially behind this offensive line, is immensely encouraging.
What comes next may be the most important thing of all.
The Panthers' situation is precarious, but they are still leading the NFC South with three wins. That speaks to the overall state of the division, but it's also largely down to Young's early-season efforts that briefly put him in the NFL MVP conversation.
That was always going to be hard to maintain. The Panthers have too many holes, and they are too inconsistent. Young is trying to turn the tide, but until things become more balanced, Carolina's limitations will remain.
Regardless, Young is doing more than enough for a bumper contract extension at season's end. And if he finishes as well as he started, the Panthers will have finally found their first franchise-caliber presence at football's most important position since Cam Newton.
And that is precisely what everyone wanted when they gave up a king's ransom to move up and draft Young in 2023.
Let's hope it continues.
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