Why Panthers QB Bryce Young Is Seemingly on the Hot Seat in 2026

The Carolina Panthers will be picking up Bryce Young's fifth-year option, but beyond that, it's unclear what the future holds. An extension is very likely, but if Young regresses or fails to improve on his 2025 output, that may not be the case.

The Panthers believe Young is their guy, but they need to see an uptick in production as well as the removal of the weekly inconsistencies that plagued their entire offense in 2025. If that happens, all this debate will look pretty silly in retrospect.

But as of now, Young still has a ways to go, and that's why one insider, perhaps unfairly, has placed him on the hot seat for 2026.

Bryce Young lands on hot seat ahead of 2026 season

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) reacts in the fourth quarter in an NFC Wild Card Round | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

For now, Bryce Young is the Carolina Panthers' starting quarterback. He is likely to remain as such in 2026 and 2027 once the Panthers officially pick up the fifth-year option. After that, his rookie deal will conclude.

They could and probably will extend him, but there's a reason they aren't doing it yet. The tumultuous three-year tenure he's had doesn't exactly inspire supreme confidence going forward, hence the hesitancy to commit serious money to him.

For that reason, CBS Sports analyst Tyler Sullivan ranked Young the QB on the fourth-hottest seat, just ahead of fellow 2023 draftee C.J. Stroud.

Carolina Panthers urged to swap Xavier Legette for star wide receiver

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

Sullivan noted that Young bounced back well from his 2024 benching and posted career highs across the board in 2025. That included a strong effort in the Panthers' playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

"With that in mind, there should be optimism surrounding Young going into 2026, but he hasn't firmly established himself just yet. As encouraging as 2025 was, Young still completed just 63.6% of his passes and averaged 188.2 passing yards per game for an 87.8 passer rating," Sullivan argued.

Young's seat was hotter than Stroud's, and the only QBs with hotter seats, according to Sullivan, were Michael Penix Jr., J.J. McCarthy, and Shedeur Sanders.

He continued, "That's good, but not exactly great production. If he plateaus or regresses next season, the Panthers will still have major questions surrounding him as their long-term option."

Sullivan is right, Young was good but not great in 2025. Moving forward, while it's unfair to hold him to the standard of the overpay the Panthers sent the Chicago Bears just to draft him, he does need to take another step forward.

He's likely to be the Panthers QB for a long time. But that's assuming he continues on the path he currently is on.