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Luke Kuechly: Panthers setting Bryce Young up for a ton of success with Tet McMillan

Legendary Carolina linebacker sees the team's young potential franchise quarterback trending up thanks to an improved supporting cast.

Tim Weaver

Nov 24, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Former Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly on the sidelines before the game at Bank of America Stadium.
Nov 24, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Former Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly on the sidelines before the game at Bank of America Stadium. / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The Carolina Panthers still can't break out of the bottom end of anybody's NFL power rankings, but at least everyone is giving them credit for putting together a great draft class. Coming into this draft, the Panthers had several positional needs to take care of - but above all else they had to improve the skill group around starting quarterback Bryce Young and boost their pass rush rotation.

Good news: the Panthers did both - and they did it in exactly the right way. WIth their first pick they passed on Jalon Walker - knowing they could still get quality edge prospects after Round 1 - and landed the top-ranked pure wide receiver in the class with Tetairoa McMillan. Later on, the Panthers added another legitimate pass-catching weapon with tight end Mitchell Evans, who could be a sneaky very-impactful Day 3 pick.

Everyone likes what the Panthers did, including franchise legend Luke Kuechly. After the draft he told Kay Adams that Carolina is setting up Bryce Young for success in the long run. Watch.

As far as their roster needs go for the rest of the offseason, the Panthers could use more depth at safety and cornerback, but other than that nothing really stands out as a glaring must-address problem before the beginning of the preseason.

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Tim Weaver
TIM WEAVER

Tim Weaver has been writing about the NFL since the 2013 season for multiple teams and outlets, including USA Today and The Sporting News. He currently covers the Seattle Seahawks and Carolina Panthers for On SI.