ESPN says you can buy Panthers QB Bryce Young's resurgence, on one condition

Bryce Young certainly looked like a franchise player last season. In the final 10 games, after the Carolina Panthers benched him, he was solid and at times spectacular. For the final few games in particular, he was nearly as good as any other QB in the NFL.

But that's just a 10-game sample size of looking like an NFL QB. He has more games of looking lost and like a bust on his overall resume, even still. Can we buy that late performance? Or was it a fluke? ESPN insider Dan Graziano thinks we can, but only if we also believe in Dave Canales.

Canales has been known as the QB guru, and he's been credited with saving Geno Smith and Baker Mayfield. He might get credit for Young, too. "If you believe in Carolina coach Dave Canales, who revitalized Baker Mayfield as the Buccaneers' offensive coordinator in 2023, then you have reason to hope Young's breakout second half was a sign of things to come," Graziano argued.

Mayfield has gone on to remain one of the NFL's best QBs, so it's fair to say that Canales revived him. Since his breakout, Smith has remained a consistent performer, so once again, Canales appears to have worked his magic.

Those two didn't regress much without Canales, and the coach is still with Young. Therefore, there's very little reason to believe Young can't at least replicate what he did last year. Can he get better? Maybe. There are better weapons (slightly) on offense, and a better defense to back him up. Will he improve? It's certainly possible, but even if he doesn't, last year's form was good enough.