For two and a half years, the Carolina Panthers have waited for signs that Bryce Young would grow into the type of quarterback who can elevate an entire franchise. That’s the expectation when you take a quarterback No. 1 overall.
But Young’s performance in the win over the Green Bay Packers — 11-for-20, 102 passing yards, one interception, and a 48.3 passer rating — only reinforced what his season numbers already suggest.
Young has accumulated 1,390 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, six interceptions, and a 61.1% completion rate this season, which doesn’t offer much protection. In fact, he looked more promising late in 2024 than he has at any point in 2025.
Carolina Panthers have found the formula to win with Bryce Young
Critics insist the Panthers are winning despite Young. Supporters counter that they’re winning with him. As usual, the truth lies somewhere between the extremes.
Young is not Josh Allen. He’s not Lamar Jackson. He’s not Patrick Mahomes. But he is a quarterback who can manage games, execute the system, and occasionally hit a big play when the structure gives him the opportunity.
That’s not what the organization imagined when it traded a haul to draft him. However, it’s a version of Young they can win with.
And the Panthers seem to have finally accepted that. As The Bleacher Report’s staff put it:
"The Carolina Panthers have experimented with their approach this season. At 5-4, who they are as a team has become obvious. They are a run first team, with a rock-solid complementary defense."Bleacher Report staff
Rico Dowdle’s emergence cements that identity. He’s precisely the kind of physical, tone-setting runner this offense needed. And the analyst didn’t mince words about where that leaves Young:
"There's no reason to think Bryce Young is magically going to develop into the player the organization originally thought upon selecting him with the No. 1 overall pick two years ago. Instead, he can turn around and hand the ball off to Rico Dowdle, because it works."Bleacher Report staff
This is the midseason realization that matters.
Carolina is no longer chasing the player they hoped Young would become. They’re shaping the roster around the player he is. And that shift might be the most crucial development for the franchise since drafting him.
That doesn’t mean Young can’t still take another leap; he’s shown flashes of the talent that made him the No. 1 pick. But it does mean this much is clear: The Panthers finally have an identity. And clarity is more valuable than hype.
If they continue running the football with purpose, continue letting their defense dictate games, and continue asking Young to be efficient rather than heroic, Carolina can remain firmly in the NFC mix.
The roster is growing together. The foundation is taking shape. And for the first time in years, the Panthers’ long-term outlook feels stable, defined, and most importantly, realistic.