Quarterback Bryce Young was once again at the center of another Carolina Panthers defeat as they fell 16–14 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. As a result, the Panthers’ playoff hopes now hinge on the New Orleans Saints–Atlanta Falcons matchup: Atlanta must win. A Saints win, or even a tie, would eliminate Carolina by putting New Orleans ahead of the Panthers in the playoff tiebreakers, while a Falcons victory keeps Carolina’s slim postseason path alive. With their fate out of their hands, Pro Football Hall of Famer Kurt Warner weighed in on Young, pointing to key areas where the 24-year-old has struggled.

“I know #BryceYoung has come a long way from his rookie year,” Kurt Warner wrote on X, “but until he cleans up his feet in the pocket & learns to set strong & ready at top of drop, it will be really hard to take that next step! It causes him to be late & miss a lot of throws & with his limited arm strength, playing late is not a winning proposition a lot of the time!”

Warner’s comments highlighted some of the biggest issues faced by Bryce Young so far in his career. Young’s average time to throw is 2.85 seconds, ranked 21st in the NFL this season, bringing out the indecisiveness he has shown throughout the season. Further, his Average Depth of Target (aDOT) of 7, which ranks him 37th in the league per PFF, stands as proof of his “limited arm strength.”

These problems laid out by the Hall of Famer were on full display during the Panthers’ 16-14 loss to Tampa Bay, specifically when Young’s erratic footwork led to a late second-quarter interception by rookie Jacob Parrish. This hesitation has highlighted his inability to process the field quickly, leading to a dismal 1-of-8 third-down rate and a botched fourth-quarter fumble recovered by Lavonte David.

Despite a 40-yard completion on fourth down, Young’s struggles with timing effectively stalled the offense and led to the defeat. Now with the season dependent on an Atlanta Falcons victory, the Carolina Panthers are reportedly set to make a crucial decision regarding the future of their QB1.

Insider reveals Panthers’ plan for Bryce Young ahead of 2026 season

As the Carolina Panthers’ postseason hopes hang by a thread, the franchise is set to move forward with a significant decision regarding their star quarterback, Bryce Young. The 2023 1st overall pick has had a topsy-turvy season so far but put up solid numbers with his 3,011 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions in 16 games this season. Hence, the Carolina Panthers are expected to pick up his fifth-year contract option this offseason.

“My sense is, and from what I’m hearing, that the Panthers will pick up Bryce Young’s 5th-year option,” NFL insider Jeremy Fowler reported on X. “It’s about 26 and a half million dollars, which is a serious bargain for quarterbacks in this market that would put them under contract until 2027, but they would most likely want to see more.”

Delving deeper into Carolina’s plan with Bryce Young, Fowler highlighted that the Panthers plan to move forward with a season-by-season approach, as the 24-year-old has shown vulnerabilities despite having a great year so far.

“He’s good on third down,” Fowler added. “He’s got a flair for scoring, but just three games of 200 or more yards passing this year—that’s just simply not enough. They’re gonna need to really open this up and see a little bit more. I expect a sort of pay-as-you-go situation for now, so they’re open to it long-term. But I don’t expect a five-year deal to come in the next couple of months either.”

With what appears to be another chance for Bryce Young, the 24-year-old must improve on his shortcomings this offseason to ensure that he continues as the Carolina Panthers QB1 and lives up to the expectations of the franchise that drafted him number one three years back.