Panthers' Bryce Young Reportedly Seen as 'True Franchise QB' by Team Amid Improvement

The Carolina Panthers' confidence in quarterback Bryce Young has grown thanks to the strides he's making on the field, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz.

Schultz reported "his combination of accuracy and clutch play has led to exciting times in Carolina, and a sustained internal belief that Young is a true franchise QB."

Young's raw numbers aren't a major improvement over 2024. Through six starts, he's averaging 191.7 passing yards and completing 61.8 percent of his throws. Among qualified QBs, he also ranks 27th in passer rating (84.0) and 26th in ESPN's QBR (42.6).

In addition, the 24-year-old has a higher interception ratio (five on 199 attempts) compared to last season.

The Panthers collectively are in a much different place, though. At 3-3, Carolina is on the playoff periphery, and that's in stark contrast from a 1-7 start in 2024, a period that saw Young get benched for Andy Dalton.

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It turns out that winning games can go a long way toward building faith in your starting quarterback, sometimes independent of his individual production. That's part of the reason people have tried to lessen the focus on team records when evaluating a QB's performance.

Still, Panthers head coach Dave Canales explained the difference having a quarterback he trusts can make in his play-calling.

"That (belief) makes me feel confident that I can just continue to call the game that's supposed to be called vs. having to make adjustments based on what the quarterback feels," he told the Charlotte Observer's Scott Fowler. "And Bryce gives me confidence to just call whatever's on the sheet for whatever the area is, and we can just build from there."

Last fall, some were wondering if there was a path back for Young after his benching. Now, nobody is questioning whether he's the best option under center for the Panthers.