Carolina Panthers Make Decision on Bryce Young’s Preseason Availability

What This Means for the Carolina Panthers' Starters

During the Hall of Fame Game, most of Carolina's starters were rested, so this will be their first time on the field altogether this preseason. The idea behind this is that Canales wants his players to get into a rhythm of starting to prepare for a game and get their routines in place early on.

For Young, having this time to play won't be about him fighting for a starting job; instead, it will be about him growing in areas like taking command of the offense and establishing in-game chemistry with the offensive unit.

This time will be especially valuable for the offensive line that will be playing without Ikem Ekwonu and Taylor Moton. This gives Carolina a glimpse as to which five offensive linemen work the best together to keep Young upright.

The Panthers are coming off a season in which they held an 8-9 record and captured the NFC South Division title. Entering the 2026 season, in which expectations will now be higher for the Panthers, they can't let the opening weeks of the season be where they look to get into a rhythm, so playing the starters now makes the most sense for the Panthers.