The Carolina Panthers didn't sit still this offseason, adding talent such as edge rusher Jaelan Phillips and linebacker Devin Lloyd to strengthen a roster that exceeded expectations in 2025.
Yet despite those additions, one national NFL analyst believes the biggest storyline surrounding Carolina remains exactly where most fans expected it to be.
As part of his list of the NFL's 100 most important players for the 2026 season, Zachary Pereles of CBS Sports included quarterback Bryce Young at No. 79 among the league's most impactful guys.
Carolina Panthers' offseason mindset piles more pressure on Bryce Young
Now, the list is not intended to rank the NFL's best players, but rather to identify players who could have the greatest influence on how the 2026 season unfolds.
“The Panthers are intent on winning big after their NFC South title last year, as the Jaelan Phillips and Devin Lloyd signings show. Can [Bryce] Young take a big step, or is this -- a bottom-half quarterback -- just what he is?”
Last season, Young ranked 29th in net yards per attempt, 28th in expected points added per dropback, and 25th in interception rate.
He's shown incremental improvements throughout his career, but there is also significant hard work ahead to keep this positive momentum going. For a No. 1 overall pick on a team now spending like a contender, incremental isn't enough.
The Panthers aren't waiting on Young to prove himself before committing. The Phillips signing was a massive statement of intent. Lloyd added a completely different dynamic to the linebacker corps. This is a roster being constructed to win now, not to develop quietly.
That's either a show of organizational confidence or a calculated bet that the defense can carry enough weight to make Young's limitations manageable. Both statements could be true, but what comes next is down to the former Alabama standout.
Young's placement on this list isn't just a Panthers storyline. How he plays in 2026 shapes the entire NFC competitive picture. If the signal-caller improves, a team with real defensive pieces becomes a problem for every contender, not just their bitter NFC South rivals.
That is the plan. But it's all predicated on Young making the improvements needed.
Despite all the attention on the Panthers' defensive additions, national analysts continue to view the quarterback position as the variable that will ultimately determine how far this team can go. And in all honesty, they are right.
Young is on the right track. At the same time, this will count for nothing if the Panthers don't see another year of growth.
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