Jul 23, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) walks to the field for Panthers Training Camp. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

ESPN names Panthers QB Bryce Young among NFL players under most pressure in 2025

Originally posted on Carolina Panthers on SI
By Zach Roberts | Last updated Jul 24, 2025 8:05 AM ET

Despite growth and improvement at the end of year two, Carolina Panthers QB Bryce Young still has his detractors. Most want to see the young player put together a full season. Based on how he finished and how the offseason went, all signs point to his supporting cast on both sides of the ball being better.

That means the onus is now on Young. The idea that he's not the franchise QB is still prevalent in the media. ESPN's Bill Barnwell, for example, listed Young as one of the NFL's people (executive, coach, or player) under the most pressure this year.

Bill Barnwell says Bryce Young is under immense pressure this season

Bill Barnwell had a lot to say about Bryce Young and why the Panthers star is under pressure to finally put a full season of good play on film. This is partly because the first two years did not go the way anyone expected, though he admitted it could be "all's well that ends well" in Carolina.

After his return from the bench, Barnwell said Young simply looked better. "He looked shell-shocked toward the end of the 2023 season, and after those ugly first two starts a year ago, he was simply more confident and comfortable within the offense," he said.

This was despite being pressured at the league's second-highest rate between Weeks 8 and 18, posting a 59.5 QBR against pressure, which ranked ninth in the NFL. "The 2023 offense didn't give him answers against pressure, either schematically or in terms of help on the field from his teammates. The 2024 offense gave him more solutions, and after he returned from the benching, it looked like he began to trust coach Dave Canales and reap the rewards from working within the offense," Barnwell noted.

Barnwell said Young's creativity showed back up, and there were times when he found ways to make big plays down the field rather than just survive a beating by the defense. He cited the infamous Xavier Legette drop against the Philadelphia Eagles, saying he ignored an open drag route for a first down to "correctly" take the shot that would've won the game.

"After another offseason spent adding new receivers and playmakers to the offense, the Panthers enter 2025 hoping they can gain some level of certainty about their quarterback situation," Barnwell said. Everyone in the building now save for owner David Tepper was not around when they picked up Young in the draft in 2023, including the GM and head coach.

This new regime now faces questions. "Will it pick up an option for 2027 that would guarantee him a salary likely north of $27 million? Will it decline the option and make plans to move on? Or could there be another offseason in which the Panthers insist they just need to get the right players around their quarterback for him to thrive?" Barnwell asked.

These questions will hang over Young all season, but his play at the end of last year opposite a horrendous defense and with a lack of help on offense suggest he's capable of shouldering them.

This article first appeared on Carolina Panthers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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