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Football is both an exceptionally complex and a relatively simple game.
In the modern NFL, a team can have all the answers and make all the right decisions when it comes to shaping their roster. But if they don't get at least decent play at quarterback, everything else will go to waste.
The Carolina Panthers are the ultimate example of that dynamic going into the 2026 season. Their defense took a huge step up last year and looks even better on paper after adding pass rusher Jaelan Phillips and Pro Bowl linebacker Devin Lloyd in free agency.
They've also added two left tackles in Rasheed Walker and Monroe Freeling as well as more weapons at wide receiver with John Metchie III and Chris Brazzell II. Plus, offensive coordinator Brad Idzik will be taking over play-calling duties for the first time in his coaching career.
In theory, the Panthers should take the next step forward—as long as they get what they need out of fourth-year quarterback Bryce Young.
In a new piece that reviews the quarterback situation for each team, ESPN poses the only question that really matters for the reigning NFC South champs this year—can Young level up again?
Insider Dan Graziano writes:
When Young was benched after two horrific games to begin the 2024 campaign, the answer probably would have been a "no." Thanks to a strange turn of fate in the form of a minor car accident for veteran Andy Dalton, Young got another chance and took advantage—proving he had real long-term starter potential in the second half of that campaign.
Last year, we saw Young occasionally break through and shine the way a No. 1 overall pick should. But it also came as part of a season where he averaged just 188.0 passing yards per game with a passer rating that ranked 27th in the NFL and a quarterback rating that ranked 22nd.
While Young still has another year on his contract afterwards, he still doesn't feel like the definitive long-term answer under center in Carolina just yet.
Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.
This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: ESPN asks the most important question facing the Panthers in 2026
Continue reading...
In the modern NFL, a team can have all the answers and make all the right decisions when it comes to shaping their roster. But if they don't get at least decent play at quarterback, everything else will go to waste.
The Carolina Panthers are the ultimate example of that dynamic going into the 2026 season. Their defense took a huge step up last year and looks even better on paper after adding pass rusher Jaelan Phillips and Pro Bowl linebacker Devin Lloyd in free agency.
They've also added two left tackles in Rasheed Walker and Monroe Freeling as well as more weapons at wide receiver with John Metchie III and Chris Brazzell II. Plus, offensive coordinator Brad Idzik will be taking over play-calling duties for the first time in his coaching career.
In theory, the Panthers should take the next step forward—as long as they get what they need out of fourth-year quarterback Bryce Young.
In a new piece that reviews the quarterback situation for each team, ESPN poses the only question that really matters for the reigning NFC South champs this year—can Young level up again?
Insider Dan Graziano writes:
When Young was benched after two horrific games to begin the 2024 campaign, the answer probably would have been a "no." Thanks to a strange turn of fate in the form of a minor car accident for veteran Andy Dalton, Young got another chance and took advantage—proving he had real long-term starter potential in the second half of that campaign.
Last year, we saw Young occasionally break through and shine the way a No. 1 overall pick should. But it also came as part of a season where he averaged just 188.0 passing yards per game with a passer rating that ranked 27th in the NFL and a quarterback rating that ranked 22nd.
While Young still has another year on his contract afterwards, he still doesn't feel like the definitive long-term answer under center in Carolina just yet.
Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.
This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: ESPN asks the most important question facing the Panthers in 2026
Continue reading...
