NFL Analyst: Panthers' Bryce Young is Worse Than Malik Willis, Cam Ward, More

The Carolina Panthers believe in Bryce Young. He's their quarterback, and they aren't wavering on that. They signed Kenny Pickett, but he's clearly the backup.

The rest of the NFL? Not so much, at least in the media. Young came in ranked below some interesting names in one list, prompting an eyebrow raise.

Young ranked 24th in Henry McKenna's offseason QB stock market. His last ranking at the end of 2025 was 22, which was a bit low. Still, it's hard to see why he's dropped, especially when Fernando Mendoza, the only rookie who could've theoretically pushed him down, is ranked 25th.

Nevertheless, as usual, there are some curious names ahead of Young. Malik Willis, a former bust and career backup who had five or so decent outings in a great offensive system, is evidently better than Young.

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (12) and Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

So is Cam Ward, a rookie who showed flashes last year but overall had a pretty bad season. Jaxson Dart was also ranked ahead after a good but not great rookie year that didn't even include a full season of starts.

It's also worth noting that Young ranked below some hilarious names last year during the offseason, like JJ McCarthy and Geno Smith. We see how that turned out, so there's still plenty of time for Young to make this look silly.

To McKenna's credit, he was fairly complimentary of Young. He did say he was on the rise but gave him a mandate: "Can Young close the gap between an upward-trending QB (what he is now) to a franchise QB (what he needs to be to earn an extension and have a future in Carolina)?" he asked.

This is an accurate assessment of Young, even if the number ranking feels a little bit off. Young is on the rise after three up-and-down years, but it is time for him to take the next step. The Panthers are counting on it.

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) looks to pass | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The good news is that, more or less, he's gotten better year after year. It hasn't been linear, but Young is in the best spot he's been since being drafted. The odds are pretty good that he'll continue to get better, especially with an improved roster around him.

That will lead to the long-term extension the Panthers are reportedly discussing but are almost assuredly not going to hand to him just yet. It will also set the Panthers up for sustained success with a long-running QB-coach combo.