NFL analyst can see unfathomable Bryce Young release by Panthers

As of now, it certainly appears as if the Carolina Panthers have found their quarterback in Bryce Young. After a horrible start and a benching, it would be a surprise if anyone else were the QB for the next year or two. But what if he regresses?

One NFL insider believes in Young, but he had to warn fans that there is a reality where things go poorly. In that reality, Young wasn't just relegated back to the bench this time. He was unfathomably released from the roster entirely.

NFL analyst shares scary Bryce Young thought

What if the Carolina Panthers don't have their man? What if Bryce Young isn't destined to be the savior everyone believes he is? If that's the case, this could be the final year for Young, NFL analyst Evan Cohen said.

He listed five players under the most pressure in 2025: Young, Kyler Murray, Tua Tagovailoa, Shedeur Sanders, and Aaron Rodgers. For Young, it's all about proving last year's finale was not a fluke, because in 2026, he becomes as costly to keep as he is to let go.

"We're all riding high on Bryce Young, but what if he's not as good as we think he is?" Cohen asked. "This year, his salary is $10 million. His dead cap hit... is $22 [million]. Next year, his salary is $12M on the team and $12M off the team. It makes it easier to say, 'Bryce, we tried; it just didn't work.'"

He said the Panthers have a lot of hope for 2025, adding that they did a "seemingly good" thing by sitting Young down and then reinserting him into the lineup. He also believes this could be a fringe playoff team, so it's not as if Cohen is out on Young at all.

"But he's got to be good, cause if not, I think he's out," Cohen noted. There has been much, as alluded to by the analyst and his co-hosts, invested in Young from the offensive line and skill-position groups. That includes bringing in Dave Canales, so if Young can't stay on the trajectory he showed last year, there's a chance they call it and release him.