Bryce Young zings Panthers' past: 'Just a little bit of stability goes a long way'

It takes more than just talent to win games in the NFL. Plenty of special players have come through the Carolina Panthers these last seven years. Christian McCaffrey remains one of the league's best running backs nearly a decade after he was drafted. Brian Burns has established himself as one of the league's best edge rushers. Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold have both gone on to blossom into Pro Bowlers with other teams, as well.

The main problem for Carolina in the post Cam Newton and Ron Rivera era is that there's been no real stability from season to season. If you count the interim coaches, the Panthers have burned through six head coaches in as many years and several different general managers.

So, even though they finished 5-12 last season the front office decided not to blow it all up again - opting to stick with Dave Canales as head coach and Dan Morgan as general manager despite a rough start to their tenure.

Time will tell if that pays off, but the twosome at least appear to have found solid footing, a first for this franchise in a long time.

One guy who can appreciate that continuity as much as anyone is starting quarterback Bryce Young, who saw his playbook change three times before he played his first game under former head coach Frank Reich.

Here's what Yong had to say about the franchise's newfound stability, according to Joe Person at The Athletic.

Bryce Young on Panthers' stability

"It's nice having this first year of comfortability and familiarity with the system, with the coaching staff. Just a little bit of stability goes a long way for me and I think everyone on the team..."

It's very true and also a bit of a yikes moment for a franchise that's become synonymous with dysfunction and a punchline for everyone from Dave Portnoy to the PGA Tour.

There's only one way to erase that perception of the franchise: winning playoff games.

That's probably a tall order in 2025, but the Panthers do appear to be finally heading in the right direction. If Bryce Young continues to grow as Canales and Morgan grow the supporting cast around him, they should be a postseason contender no later than next year.

For now, posting a 9-8 record should be the goal.