Each year, The Athletic surveys 50 former NFL coaches and executives to rank the league’s quarterbacks. This year, the Carolina Panthers saw the third highest increase in their QB’s performance.
Ranking four spots higher than he did one season ago, many had a lot to say about the future of the 24-year-old. Knowing how dominant he was at Alabama, the Panthers may have met their match in terms of their QB’s ceiling.
Bryce Young Believed to Have Met His Ceiling According to NFL Coaches and Executives
Benching Bryce Young was the best decision the Panthers ever made. It may not have benefited them in the short term, but it’s a decision that potentially saved Young’s career. Drafted No. 1 overall back in 2023, Young now sees the highest QB ranking of his short NFL career.
Young sits at No. 24 after he moved up four spots. Only Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield saw higher increases. In total, 11 QB’s dropped at least two spots which allowed for Young to climb the rankings.
Ultimately, Young is still a tier 3 quarterback. Mike Sando revealed that only one individual gave him a tier 2 vote. Shockingly, that executive comes from an AFC team.
“Don’t get fooled by the final games of a season when you are out of it and the teams you are playing are out of it,” one coach said.
The veteran coach continued, “That is where his production came from. Everyone is excited about it. Now, you start the season over again, you are playing teams that are game-planning seriously, that have a lot to play for, and it’s different.”
This defensive coordinator questioned Young’s ability to make it to the next level, “I was watching him in pregame, and I’m like, ‘The ball does not jump off his hand very well, and he’s small. I just don’t know if there’s enough talent to really become a 2, to be honest.”
Young’s 2025 Season is a Crucial One to Secure a Massive Payday
Having started 30 games in his first two seasons, there are no doubts that Young is QB1 heading into 2025. Should he perform well, that would be a huge boost to an incoming payday. While his $37.96 million rookie-deal was fully guaranteed, he’ll be looking to make the big bucks similar to other QB’s in the league.
Unlike the defensive coordinator, this executive praised Young’s size, “I think he has taken that step. He has learned to play at his size in the National Football League.”
They continued, “He was a drop away from beating Philly. If he comes back in with that same type of play, which I think he will with the same coach and coordinator, you will see better, more consistent play.”
Elsewhere, one GM remains optimistic, “The environment around him was better when he got reinserted to the starting lineup, which was huge, and then (Dave) Canales stopped calling the game with handcuffs.”
“He’s a great kid, so I want him to be successful. I’m optimistic. I would put him in 3, and then we’ll see how far he can go from there,” the GM added.
In the Panthers preseason opener, Young was 4/6 with 58 yards and a touchdown. He threw Carolina’s lone passing touchdown as they fell to the Cleveland Browns, 30-10.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Top NFL Executives Question if Panthers Third-Year QB Has Reached His Ceiling appeared first on Heavy Sports.