Last season, Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young had a rough rookie campaign, and early this season, he wasn’t any better, which led to him momentarily losing his starting job.
But he was back under center soon afterward, and as the season drew to a close, the former No. 1 overall draft pick started to show some real signs of promise.
Panthers head coach Dave Canales said that Young has shown incremental improvement ever since early this season, per SiriusXM NFL Radio.
"He just took steps every week." @Panthers HC Dave Canales discussed how impressed he was by the way QB Bryce Young responded this year.
? https://t.co/FuGBAAdaHh#Panthers | #KeepPounding | @SeniorBowl pic.twitter.com/zT5BOpOa3m
— SiriusXM NFL Radio (@SiriusXMNFL) January 31, 2025
Canales cited a Week 8 game at the Denver Broncos as a possible turning point for the second-year man, even though Carolina lost that game by a final score of 28-14.
Young’s season stats — 2,403 passing yards, 15 passing touchdowns and a 60.9 percent pass completion rate — weren’t exactly impressive, but in his last three games, he threw seven touchdown passes without a single interception.
There were all sorts of rumors earlier in the season about his short-term future, but now, he seems to be more entrenched as the Panthers’ quarterback moving forward.
They finished the season with a 5-12 record, and they will have the No. 8 overall pick in April’s draft, which will give them a chance to add an impact player.
Their biggest need is on the defensive side of the football, where they finished last in points, first downs, passing touchdowns, yards per rushing attempt and total yards allowed this season.
Some quarterbacks take a little longer to develop than others, and the hope is that Young is poised for a breakout 2025 campaign that will make him a legitimate franchise player.
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