5 winners and losers from the Carolina Panthers loss at Buccaneers in Week 13

Loser No. 4

Bryce Young - Carolina Panthers QB

Hope was once again renewed for quarterback Bryce Young. Frank Reich and Josh McCown were gone, so working closer with the likes of Jim Caldwell and Thomas Brown had many tipping the No. 1 overall pick to finish his rookie campaign on the front foot.

As it turned out, Young struggled to find the consistency needed against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. There were flashes of what he might be able to do with better weapons, but hesitancy and doubt are creeping into his game that wasn't evident during his college days at Alabama.

Young is almost too eager to have his long-awaited statement game. But at the same time, he needs to start taking more risks with nothing much to play for other than pride right now.

This is the best time for Young and the Carolina Panthers to experiment. To gamble in tight windows. To determine the difference between being open in the NFL compared to the acres of space his Crimson Tide wideouts created.

There's visible dejection where Young is concerned. He's not used to losing or performing poorly, which makes this offseason an immensely important one for the player and whoever is in charge of roster building.

The Panthers made a substantial commitment to get Young from atop the 2023 NFL Draft. An immediate return on their investment hasn't materialized, but there's nothing to suggest expectations cannot be met if the recruitment is centered on his progression in Year 2.