Bryce Young has not walked a linear path since being drafted by the Panthers with the No. 1 overall pick in 2023. He struggled as a rookie, was briefly benched in 2024, and rebounded with career-best numbers last year.
Young was eligible for an extension this past offseason, but Carolina was not yet ready to commit to the former Alabama star as their long-term franchise quarterback. But another step forward this year seems to have changed the team’s tune. The Panthers are leading the NFC South with a 3-4 record and the NFL’s ninth-ranked offense, due in large part to Young’s new career-highs of 274.