Time to Highlight the Ridiculous Nature of Bryce Young's Panthers Turnaround

The results are in and the signs are very positive. Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report handed out his quarterback grades for Week 4. He deservedly gave the Carolina Panthers’ field general an “A,” and also spoke of just how far the former University of Alabama quarterback has come in a relatively short time.

Panthers’ QB Bryce Young is excelling in his fourth NFL season

Bryce Young and Mitchell Evans — IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“Bryce Young leads the NFL with 1,268 passing yards through four weeks of play, and the Carolina Panthers feature the league’s top-ranked aerial attack. “Think about those facts for a few seconds,” added Sobleski. “Let them marinate. Now, understand Young is two years removed from being benched by head coach Dave Canales despite being the No. 1 overall pick from the 2023 class. He only got the job back in 2024 because Andy Dalton suffered an injury from a car wreck."

Canales’s club, with new play-caller Brad Idzik, leads the NFL in passing yards per game (301.3), and only three teams have averaged more total yards per game (104.5) after four weeks than the defending NFC South champions. Led by their passing game, only the Buffalo Bills (127), Dallas Cowboys (122), and San Francisco 49ers (122) have scored more points than the Panthers (121).

“Now, Young is cooking and looks every bit the part of a franchise quarterback,” said Sobleski. “He shredded the Detroit Lions’ porous secondary during Sunday Night Football despite wide receivers Jalen Coker and Xavier Legette being on injured reserve.”

Bryce Young and Tetairoa McMillan schooled the Lions’ secondary

Bryce Young to Tetairoa McMillan on 3rd-and-14. WOW.pic.twitter.com/KUuPNU49oS
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 5, 2026

Of course, Young did have 2025 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan, and the duo put on a show. The Panthers’ signal-caller connected on 29 of his 41 throws for 329 yards and a pair of scores. McMillan was targeted 16 times and hauled in 14 passes for 192 yards and both of those touchdown tosses.

After four weeks of action, the four-year quarterback is the league’s 10th-ranked passer. Those aforementioned league-high 1,268 yards have come in Young completing 101-of-162 passes (62.3 percent). There have been nine touchdown passes compared to only a pair of interceptions. He’s thrown for at least 300 yards twice in four weeks, quite the jump considering he reached that mark just three times in his first three NFL campaigns.

One aspect of Bryce Young’s game has dramatically improved

Bryce Young vs. the Lions — IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Here’s one more morsel to gnaw on. Those two picks are the only two miscues by Young this season, who has not fumbled in four games this season. A year ago, the emerging performer turned over the football five times in the club’s first five quarters of action. He finished with 11 interceptions and four lost fumbles in 16 regular-season contests, and also served up one pick in the playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

The 2-2 Panthers are off this week, and return to action on October 18 with a clash with the Eagles at Philadelphia. There’s an awfully long way to go this season, but there are certainly a lot of encouraging signs when it comes to the Carolina’s 25-year-old hurler.

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