Would the Carolina Panthers really make this quarterback move?
The Carolina Panthers can't say for certain that Bryce Young is their franchise quarterback just yet, but Young certainly took some positive strides in 2025.
Not only did Young have the best statistical showing of his career, throwing for 3,011 yards, 23 touchdowns and 11 interceptions while completing 63.6 percent of his passes, but he also led the Panthers to an NFC South division title.
It was enough for Carolina to exercise Young's fifth-year option, at least keeping him under wraps through 2027.
But with Andy Dalton's time with the Panthers appearing to be over, the team does need to find another backup quarterback.
Could it actually be Geno Smith?
Greg Auman of Fox Sports thinks so, predicting Smith — who was just released by the Las Vegas Raiders — to sign with Carolina in free agency.
"Smith, 35, has dropped off considerably in the last two seasons with a combined 32 interceptions," Auman wrote. "He's a good veteran to pair cheaply with a young or rookie quarterback, a stopgap who can step in as needed. If he doesn't care about starting, he'd be a match for Carolina, with longtime Seattle assistant Dave Canales."
Geno Smith. Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.Smith spent six seasons with the Seahawks between 2019 and 2024, where Canales served as quarterbacks coach/passing game coordinator for four of those years.
The veteran enjoyed the best campaign of his career in 2022, when he threw for 4,282 yards, 30 touchdowns and 11 picks while completing 69.8 percent of his passes and registering a 100.9 passer rating, which was Canales' final year with the squad.
However, Smith has fallen off considerably since then and just led the league with 17 picks during his lone season in Las Vegas.
Is the former second-round selection really the answer the Panthers need?
Well, one thing is for sure: it would put some pressure on Young, who has gotten off to slow starts in each of his last two seasons and was actually briefly benched in favor of Dalton in early 2024 (there was even talk about Young being benched again during the beginning stages of 2025).
It would just seem odd for Carolina to spend any of its fairly limited cap room on Smith.
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