There's no good path forward for the Carolina Panthers at quarterback

I am still of the belief that Bryce Young can be a good NFL quarterback. The Carolina Panthers' signal-caller is inconsistent and has glaring flaws, but he also has traits that few others rival. Some situation, some coach, some team can coax it out of him. He'll never be "trade a haul and pick him number one" good, but he can be a starting QB.

That just might not happen here in Carolina. The coaching staff, I believe, deserves a lot of blame for this. They learned what worked last season down the stretch and have completely abandoned it, removing a few of Young's strengths. But regardless, if and when the Panthers do move on, there are really no good paths forward.

The Panthers are officially stuck at quarterback

Nov 9, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) reflects before the game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Let's say the Panthers crater the rest of the year (which is possible given the daunting schedule) and finish with six or seven wins. They'll probably want to make some changes, and it'll likely be under center.

The draft won't be an option, because this QB class is deep but not very talented, and the Panthers will be picking way too low to draft one. Taking a flier on a third-round QB or something later isn't how you find the franchise QB you've been desperate for, either.

And if the plan is to stick with Bryce Young another year, then it's likely that they will again pick too low in 2026 to find the QB they want. The jury remains out on the 2027 class, so it may not matter in the end.

What about free agency? Here are the potential options:

Daniel Jones
Aaron Rodgers
Russell Wilson
Zach Wilson
Joe Flacco
Mitch Trubisky
Gardner Minshew

There are others, but Daniel Jones is the best option there, and the Colts might re-sign him. Even if they don't, does anything suggest he could repeat his success in the QB no man's land that is Charlotte, North Carolina?

Trades are also an option. Kyler Murray is likely to be traded. Maybe Joe Burrow, if he decides he's fed up with the horrible management in Cincinnati. Trevor Lawrence, Geno Smith, Tua Tagovailoa, and Brock Purdy could be traded, but it's less likely.

Regardless, none of those QBs represent a big enough jump from Young to justify the massive increase in salary, and getting the ones that might, like Burrow, Lawrence, or Murray, would cost a haul of draft picks the Panthers can't afford to part with.

What about 2027 free agency? Matthew Stafford, Baker Mayfield, and Mac Jones hit free agency then, but Stafford will either retire or return to LA, and Mayfield isn't leaving Tampa. Jones makes some sense, but he's decidedly not an upgrade over Young. The Panthers just don't have any good options right now.

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