Should the Carolina Panthers Give Up on Bryce Young? A Make-or-Break Crossroads in Year 3
By Jason Bolton October 07, 2025 19:41
The Carolina Panthers entered the 2025 NFL season with cautious optimism surrounding quarterback Bryce Young. After a disastrous rookie year in 2023 (2-15 record, benched late) and a sophomore slump that saw him sidelined for five games in 2024, the former No. 1 overall pick showed flashes of promise down the stretch last season—throwing seven touchdowns with zero picks in the final three games and leading Carolina to a 4-6 finish post-bench. Head coach Dave Canales, hired to revive the offense, doubled down: "Bryce is our quarterback," he declared heading into 2025. Yet, five weeks in, with the Panthers at 2-3 after a thrilling 27-24 comeback win over the Miami Dolphins on October 5, the question looms larger than ever: Should Carolina cut bait on Young before his $30 million rookie contract becomes an anchor? Or is this just the growing pains of a 24-year-old phenom in a rebuilding franchise? As scouts sharpen their knives and fans clamor for Andy Dalton's return, let's dissect the drama.
The Dismal Start: A Pattern of Pain That's Hard to Ignore
Young's 2025 hasn't been the breakout fans—and the front office—craved. Through five starts, he's completed just 60.4% of his passes for 753 yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions, while absorbing six sacks and fumbling twice. The Panthers rank 21st in passing yards (189 per game) and a woeful 26th in scoring (18.8 points per game), per team stats. His overall record as Carolina's starter? A historically brutal 7-25, tying him for the third-worst mark among QBs with 30+ starts since 1950—behind only Mike Glennon (6-25) and Randy Johnson (10-38-1).
The Week 5 thriller against Miami encapsulated the chaos. Trailing 17-0 at halftime after a bizarre fumble (eaten by Dolphins LB Bradley Chubb) and an overthrow interception to Minkah Fitzpatrick, Young sparked a 27-0 run, tossing two TDs—including the game-winner to rookie TE Mitchell Evans. He finished 19-of-30 for 198 yards, but the early turnovers (eight total this season, mostly in first halves) have the Panthers outscored 85-32 before intermission across their games. Slow starts aren't new—Young's career opener win rate is 0-3, with three picks in the 2025 debut loss to Jacksonville.
Analysts are blunt. Bleacher Report's scouting notebook quotes an anonymous evaluator: "He's looked uncomfortable in the pocket, struggled to see the field, lacked anticipation and failed to be consistently accurate... I don't think he's the guy." CBS Sports' Cody Benjamin labeled him a "Week 4 loser" after a 42-13 drubbing by New England, where Young mustered 150 yards and zero scores. On X, frustration boils: "Trade everyone" after the Dolphins scare, or "Bench Bryce Young—he's literally Zach Wilson," from users decrying his size (5'10") and processing speed. Even a wild rumor surfaced about trading for Bills TE Dawson Knox to "upgrade" Young's weapons.
The Case to Bail: At 2-3, another benching (like 2024's post-Week 2 hook) could salvage the season with Dalton's steadiness— he's 83-78 lifetime and went 1-1 in spot starts last year. Trading Young (post-June 1 to dodge dead cap) could net picks in a thin 2026 QB class, per ESPN's Matt Bowen. Why cling to a bust when the Panthers owe the Bears two firsts for him already?
The Other Side: Patience Pays Dividends for Young and Carolina
Yet, pulling the plug now feels premature—and risky. Young's 2024 benching worked: He returned in Week 8 more poised, finishing with a career-best 82.2 passer rating, 60.9% completion, and that turnover-free heater. In 2025, he's thrown zero picks in his last two games, including a 30-0 blanking of Atlanta in Week 3 where he diced up the secondary for 220 yards and two scores. Against Miami, his seven-yard TD to Xavier Legette ignited the rally, proving he can lead comebacks (tying franchise history's largest).
Canales remains steadfast, praising Young's "maturity" post-Dolphins: "We can make it harder on ourselves... but Bryce's pass was too high for Xavier. He was open." The coach considered no benching, even amid the giveaways. Bleacher Report's Kris Knox calls bench talk an "overreaction," noting Young's late-2024 advanced metrics rivaled top QBs. The Athletic's Robert Mays echoes: He's bounced back before; 2025's "awful" moments (per scouts) stem from a roster still gelling around him.
Context matters. Carolina's O-line, bolstered by Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis, has allowed fewer pressures lately, but weapons like Diontae Johnson (traded in) and rookies Jalen Coker/Xavier Legette are raw. Chuba Hubbard and new RB Rico Dowdle form a solid ground game (top-10 rushing), yet Young's under 200 yards in four of five starts signals deeper issues—like his Alabama pedigree not translating against NFL speed. Still, as one X post quipped, "Baker & Sam Darnold were trash on the Panthers. Bryce Young looks nice, could you imagine him on a real team?" History favors patience: Jared Goff, Baker Mayfield, even Sam Darnold thrived post-Panthers elsewhere.
The Bigger Picture: Sunk Costs and a Thin Future
Carolina's sunk $50 million-plus in trades for Young (two firsts, DJ Moore), making a pre-2026 divorce cap-punitive. Owner David Tepper's meddling history (firing Frank Reich mid-2023) adds volatility, but Canales' continuity—first QB/coach/GM trio intact since 2019—buys time. A Mailbag consensus: Give him the full year; 2026 brings vet/rookie competition if needed.
Fantasy drafters see upside too: Pro Football Network projects late-round appeal, citing his 2024 ceiling (27+ point games). As Young told Panthers.com: "I'm not a big 'look in the rear view' kind of guy... Focus forward."
Verdict: Stick It Out—But Set a Hard Deadline
No, the Panthers shouldn't give up on Bryce Young yet. Year 3 is pivotal, but his resilience (post-2024 bench) and glimpses (Miami rally) warrant patience in a roster on the rise. Bench him only if turnovers hit five more by midseason; otherwise, ride the wave. Carolina's eight-year playoff drought demands bold bets, but torching a $260 million upside at 24 reeks of the old, impulsive Tepper way. As X users meme, "Bench Bryce to unlock his potential"—but twice? That's a burial. For now, #KeepPounding means believing in the kid who once won the Heisman. The throne awaits—if he grabs it.
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