The court of public opinion may be changing when it comes to Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young.
The Carolina Panthers have decided to exercise their fifth-year option on Bryce Young, keeping the quarterback under wraps through 2027.
But will the Panthers actually offer Young an extension?
That seems less likely, but there is no question that the former No. 1 overall pick made progress in 2025, throwing for 3,011 yards, 23 touchdowns and 11 interceptions while completing 63.6 percent of his passes and posting an 87.8 passer rating.
Most importantly, Young led Carolina to an NFC South division title.
The court of public opinion appears to be changing on Young, specifically when it comes to the Young vs. C.J. Stroud debate.
A couple of years ago, it was looking like the Panthers made a gargantuan mistake by selecting Young over Stroud, but the tide may be turning.
In fact, during a recent appearance on The Dan Patrick Show, Chris Simms of NBC Sports gave a slight edge to Young at this point.
"I sit here now, I guess, giving the edge to Bryce Young – but don’t feel necessarily great about that," Simms said.
Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young. Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images.The caveat is that Simms is still not incredibly impressed with the University of Alabama product three seasons into his NFL career.
"I mean, I know Carolina went into the year going, 'Hey, we like Young, but we don’t have our quarterback yet. We don’t really know. We don’t think we got the guy,'" Simms continued. "He played better, definitely. How do [the Panthers] feel about that? I’m sure they feel better, but I wouldn’t sit here and just go, 'Oh, we’re just golden at quarterback.'"
I don't think anyone is ready to anoint Young as Carolina's clear franchise quarterback just yet, but the fact that he now may be surpassing Stroud in the eyes of many is a wild turn of events given how things began during their rookie campaigns in 2023.
Young was even benched early in 2024, and there was talk of the Panthers sitting him yet again this past season. But he put together a strong second half, throwing 12 touchdown passes and four picks over his last seven games.
We'll see if the 24-year-old can take another step forward in 2026 and establish himself as the clear-cut future in Carolina.
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