Carolina Panthers News

Home

Quizzes

Watch

Newsletter

Nov 12, 2022; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Bryce Young (9) runs the ball during the second half against the Mississippi Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Bryce Young Is Poised For A Hot Start With The Carolina Panthers

Originally posted on Stadium Rant | By Wayne Gregoire | Last updated Aug 29, 2025 7:47 PM ET

The expectations for Bryce Young have fluctuated radically, leaving fans divided since before he took his first snap. When the Carolina Panthers made Young the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, they made a polarizing decision. The selection was between him and Ohio State quarterback CJ Stroud, and there were more than a few people who thought the team made the wrong decision. That belief was affirmed by Stroud winning the Rookie of the Year award.

Young may be one of the more misunderstood prospects in recent memory, and this is due to the poor evaluation of his talents by not just fans, but NFL front office personnel. Quarterbacks are typically broken into two groups: playmakers and game managers. A player taken first in the draft is typically a playmaker. Players with big arms like Josh Allen and Trevor Lawrence are expected to lead their teams to victory, creating something from nothing when the defense cracks down.

Game managers rely on a strong running game to take pressure off of them. The more the team carries the ball, the more a game manager can dissect a tired defense with a combination of misdirection and play action. These players are considered less valuable and typically go later in the draft (Brock Purdy and Tom Brady). They can have amazing careers and win multiple Super Bowls, but they can’t be expected to throw the ball 40 times a game like playmakers can. Young is a quintessential game manager.

A History Of Game Managing

A deeper dive into Young’s stats in college to reveal his archetype. Playing quarterback for the Tide, he had a career passing percentage of 65.8% but the games he truly thrived were the ones when the running game took the pressure off of him. In games where the running backs and receivers carried the ball 30 times or more, Young completed 71.8% of his passes, versus 63.4% when they had fewer than 30 carries.

Even the best quarterbacks struggle the more they throw the ball. Throwing the ball has a greater margin for error than running it. Game managers struggle the most, and when the Panthers gave Young the keys to the franchise, they asked him to be Josh Allen and carry the team with his arm. That is not how he is built, and they were never going to have success utilizing him in that manner. True to his college form, Young posted a record of 4-2 when Carolina ran the ball 26 times or more. It’s not just his recipe for success, but theirs.

Carolina Finally Gets It

Aug 16, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) hands off to running back Chuba Hubbard (30) during the first quarter against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The team has finally seen the error of its ways and has started to construct a team that is tailor-made for Young to have success. The first indication of this is the $33 million contract extension they gave running back Chuba Hubbard after he carried the ball for 1,195 yards on 250 carries in 2024. He was also targeted 54 times in the passing game, pulling in 43 catches for 171 yards. The four yards per catch average is indicative of the fact that he is used as a safety net and not lined up wide for deep passes.

The size of his contract should tell fans that Hubbard will be utilized more this season, like Saquon Barkley was for the Philadelphia Eagles (345 carries). Just in case he isn’t built to handle the load, Carolina signed Rico Dowdle in the offseason. Last year for the Dallas Cowboys, he managed 235 carries for 1,079 yards. Two bell cow backs will take an enormous amount of pressure off their quarterback. For good measure, they moved on from Adam Thielen, the team’s second leading receiver in 2024.

End Of My Bryce Young Rant

The Panthers have committed to running the ball, which means Young will have success and the team will win games. It also helps that the team’s first six games of the season are against NFL defenses that allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete 67% of their passes and gave up a passer rating of 97.3. The only team worse defensively than the Jaguars last year (Carolina’s week 1 opponent) was the Panthers themselves.

All signs point to Young shutting up his critics as he leads the team to wins. At least, early on in 2025.

This article first appeared on Stadium Rant and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: