Three hottest seats on the Carolina Panthers

No one is safe in Carolina.

Owner David Tepper has gone through several quarterbacks and coaches since purchasing the team six years ago, all with no success. If the Panthers don't show a marked improvement from their 2-15 record in 2023 this upcoming season, heads might continue to roll.

Here are three people in the organization who are feeling the most heat.

Quarterback Bryce Young

The Panthers might not be as patient with Young if he struggles again in Year 2. Per Pro Football Reference, he led the league in bad throw percentage (21.5 percent) as a rookie. Among the 41 quarterbacks with at least 160 pass attempts, Young ranked last in yards per attempt (5.5) and graded as Pro Football Focus's third-worst quarterback.

First-year head coach Dave Canales was a QB-whisperer in 2022 and 2023, helping change the career trajectories of Geno Smith and Baker Mayfield. Smith earned a three-year, $75 million contract last offseason after Canales served as his quarterbacks coach during the 2022 campaign.

Earlier this month, Mayfield re-signed with the Bucs on a three-year, $100 million contract after one season with Canales as his offensive coordinator.

If Young doesn't improve, it might say more about him than his head coach. In that scenario, Carolina will again be at the bottom of the league and in a prime position to draft his replacement.

Wide receiver Jonathan Mingo

Like Young, Mingo's rookie season was forgettable. The No. 39 overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, Mingo had 43 receptions for 418 yards, averaging fewer than 10 yards per reception, and did not record a touchdown.

Puka Nacua (No. 177 overall), Rashee Rice (No. 55), Jayden Reed (No. 50)  and Tank Dell (No. 69) were all drafted after Mingo and produced significantly better results as rookies. 

Panthers already added former Steelers wideout Diontae Johnson via trade and should be in the market for another receiver in the draft to pair with veteran Adam Thielen, Young's most trusted 2023 target. Unless Mingo has a monster offseason and training camp, he could quickly be squeezed out of a role in Carolina's offense.

Owner David Tepper

No, Tepper won't fire himself. The league's other 31 owners won't save Panthers fans by removing him, either. But Tepper will remain persona non grata in North Carolina until he proves he can build a winning team.

Since becoming the team's owner in May 2018, Carolina is 31-68, tied with the Jets for the league's worst record. (h/t Stathead)

Petitions for the hedge fund manager to sell the team will continue to crop up the longer the Panthers remain the league's least successful franchise. Those signatures probably won't lead to his ouster, but they will continue to make his purchase of the Panthers the worst $2.2 billion anyone has spent.