Panthers Have Not Given Bryce Young What He Needs in Make-or-Break Year 4

The Carolina Panthers have tried to support Bryce Young, especially once it became clear that he could not overcome an abysmal roster in 2023. They began adding pieces at various spots on offense to try to help. Unfortunately, in 2026, it's clear that it didn't work very well.

Panthers have not given Bryce Young a capable supporting cast

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) hands the ball off to Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The first thing a team can do for its quarterback is give him weapons to throw to. The Panthers have done a passable job of that, but we can't pretend this pass-catching unit is elite. Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker are doing all the heavy lifting.

PFF ranked them 22nd in the NFL, and it's hard to disagree with the ranking. There aren't 22 better duos in the NFL than McMillan and Coker, but there are so many other players to consider, and for the Panthers, most of them are simply not very good.

"Beyond those two, there is very little proven talent to speak of in this receiving room. Tight ends Ja’Tavion Sanders and Tommy Tremble have combined for four straight PFF receiving grades in the 50.0s over the last two seasons," the blurb for the Panthers read.

The second thing a team can do for its quarterback is provide him with a good running game. The Panthers have tried to do that and probably believe that they have, but the numbers disagree. Even with Rico Dowdle last year, the running game was not good.

This year, PFF ranked them 27th, and it's once again hard to disagree. None of Chuba Hubbard, Trevor Etienne, or AJ Dillon has the explosiveness needed to really succeed in the NFL. Jonathon Brooks might, but he's a wild card.

"Question marks remain over the health of Jonathon Brooks, who has taken just nine handoffs since he was drafted 46th overall two years ago," the blurb read.

The final thing a team can do for its quarterback is protect him. The Panthers have done a better job of protecting Bryce Young than providing him weapons or a running game, but it's still not a good situation thanks to injuries.

In fact, PFF rightly noted that the Panthers' offensive line is a top-five unit most primed for regression. The line was very good in 2025, but it could be rough in 2026. There are a lot of talented players, but how well do they fit?

Some key losses, both injury-related and other, have tanked this line. Ikem Ekwonu, Taylor Moton, Austin Corbett, and Cade Mays, all of whom posted 66.0 or better PFF grades, are gone for right now.

Carolina Panthers offensive tackle Taylor Moton (72) during the fourth quarter | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"Ekwonu is expected to miss the majority of the season after suffering a ruptured patellar tendon in the playoffs, while Moton will be sidelined into the starting slate due to blood clots in his lung. Also, former starting center Cade Mays headed to Detroit, while Corbett is now in Buffalo," PFF analyst Bradley Locker wrote.

Locker noted that the Panthers added nice replacements in Monroe Freeling, Rasheed Walker, Sam Hecht, and Luke Fortner, but that's a lot of new additions to the line, and there's no telling how rookies Freeling and Hecht will fare in their first NFL seasons.

Simply put, the Panthers have tried and failed to surround Bryce Young with help. This is probably the best overall offense he's had in the NFL, but the bar is on the floor, and even with the talent they do have, there are major question marks.

Add us as a preferred source on Google