If the Carolina Panthers are going to become a legitimate contender, quarterback Bryce Young has to make the leap everyone has been waiting for since he arrived as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
That’s why Brad Gagnon of The Bleacher Report’s “dream scenario” for every NFL team felt so straightforward for Carolina.
The entire vision centered around Young elevating his game alongside emerging wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, while a revamped defense helps the Panthers become “the long-term team to beat” in the division.
Carolina Panthers' hopes will rise or fall with quarterback Bryce Young
Carolina can talk about culture changes, roster improvements, and defensive upgrades all they want. None of that truly matters if Young stalls out.
To his credit, the former Alabama star finally showed real progress in 2025. Young posted career highs across the board, throwing for over 3,000 yards and helping push Carolina to a surprising NFC South title.
More importantly, he looked a lot better late in games. But there’s still a gap between where he is and where the Panthers want him to be.
Young only topped 200 passing yards in five games last season. The explosive consistency wasn’t there as the Panthers still leaned heavily on surviving games rather than controlling them offensively.
To the Panthers' credit, they have spent the last several years desperately trying to fix the offensive environment around Young after the disastrous roster situation he inherited as a rookie. Some of those moves worked. Some absolutely did not.
Xavier Legette still has major questions to answer in Year 3 of his professional career. The tight end group hasn’t produced consistently. There are new pieces along the offensive line that still need time to become cohesive.
But there’s real promise surrounding McMillan, who already looks like Carolina’s most dynamic receiving threat in years. Pairing him with emerging target Jalen Coker gives the Panthers at least a foundation to build around in the passing game.
The encouraging part for Carolina is that they don’t necessarily need to become a 13-win powerhouse overnight. After all, the division remains wide open with every team harboring legitimate hopes to wrestle the crown from the Panthers' grasp.
A realistic best-case scenario probably looks something like 10-7 or 11-6, with another NFC South championship. However, the schedule includes matchups against contenders like the Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens, and Seattle Seahawks. Not easy, but not impossible either.
That’s where the Panthers have to prove they belong. And if Young takes the leap, everything else suddenly feels possible.
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