NFL coaches unsure if Bryce Young can even be a tier-two QB with Panthers

During the last 10 weeks of the 2024 regular season, the Carolina Panthers' offense transformed. Bryce Young's return and resurgence were the most responsible for that change. In the preseason, Young showed in just two series that his play was not a fluke.

That has resulted in a rise in The Athletic's QB tier analysis. He hasn't jumped a tier, but he was the third-biggest riser in the entire NFL. That said, even with the good play that continued into the preseason, some coaches aren't sold.

NFL executives are not sold on Bryce Young ever being great

Bryce Young's six-pass day, which resulted in a touchdown and 58 yards, was enough to solidify that his breakout last year has not gone away. Still, some executives don't believe he can ever be a player worthy of the number one overall pick.

"Don't get fooled by the final games of a season when you are out of it and the teams you are playing are out of it," an anonymous veteran coach said via The Athletic. "That is where his production came from. Everyone is excited about it. Now, you start the season over again, you are playing teams that are game-planning seriously, that have a lot to play for, and it's different."

It's worth noting that Young did play extremely well against two teams in the final three games with clear playoff hopes. His win against the Arizona Cardinals eliminated them. He also eliminated the Atlanta Falcons in Week 18, though they'd have missed out because of a Buccaneers win anyway. Still, those teams were playing for something.

A defensive coordinator said he just can't see Young ever rising past tier three. "I was watching him in pregame, and I'm like, 'The ball does not jump off his hand very well, and he's small.' I just don't know if there's enough talent to really become a 2, to be honest."

There is one NFL executive who is buying the hype, though. "I think he has taken that step," an anonymous exec said. "He has learned to play at his size in the National Football League. He was a drop away from beating Philly. If he comes back in with that same type of play, which I think he will with the same coach and coordinator, you will see better, more consistent play."

Based on the preseason sample size, Young has come back with that type of play, showcasing elite timing, accuracy, and the ability to make plays off-platform and off-script.

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