NFL insider claims Bryce Young is ‘best QB option’ for Panthers now and later

On Tuesday morning, the general manager of the NFC South champion Carolina Panthers made it clear that quarterback Bryce Young wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon. “Dan Morgan said at a press conference on Tuesday that the team planned to pick up the fifth-year option on Young,” stated Darin Gantt of Panthers.com.

"Bryce has shown flashes of greatness this year against high level competition," explained Morgan (via Gantt). "I think Bryce did a great job this year and just really excited about moving forward and him still developing chemistry with our receivers, and just the pieces around him that we had.”

Prior to the announcement, Gilberto Manzano of SI felt that the organization should stick with their three-year signal-caller. “The Panthers should use Young’s impressive playoff performance against the Rams as a launching pad to leave the low moments from their quarterback in the past. If Jimmy Horn Jr. didn’t drop the ball on fourth down, perhaps Young would have had a game-winning drive in the playoffs instead of losing, 34–31.”

Jan 10, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) reacts after scoring a touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams in the first half during the NFC Wild Card Round game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

“I still have my reservations about Young,” added Manzano, “and he might have benefited from facing a bad L.A. secondary and working with a coaching staff that knows coach Sean McVay and the Rams well. So, yes, the jury is still out on Young doing this on a weekly basis against any team in the NFL. But at the same time, Young is the best QB option for the organization in 2026.”

After a rough rookie debut, the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft struggled early on during the following season under new head coach Dave Canales. Young was sat down after two games, wound up getting his job back later that year and would start the final 10 games. He showed promise down the stretch that year, and some of that showed up again throughout 2025. The Panthers certainly look like a team on the rise.

“Coach Dave Canales has done an excellent job in two seasons of repairing a once atrocious roster he inherited from the previous regimes,” added Manzano. “He improved the offensive line and rushing attack to give Young a fighting chance to put it all together and overcome the crappy hand the organization dealt him as a rookie when there was constant turmoil under the watch of owner David Tepper.”

“Now that there’s finally stability,” said Manzano, “Carolina should continue with the massive investment the team made nearly three years ago when they traded with the Bears for the right to select Young No. 1 overall. There’s something positive brewing with Young throwing to wideouts Jalen Coker and rookie sensation Tetairoa McMillan…”

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