Bryce Young may have saved his career with his play down the stretch of the 2024 season.
Now, though, there are questions to be answered for the Carolina Panthers.
Young is the undoubted starter for the 2025 season, and Carolina will have to use the campaign to see exactly what they have in the former No. 1 overall pick.
ESPN's Bill Barnwell laid out some of the questions ahead in a new piece on Thursday:
"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 writes. "The coaching staff and general manager who traded for Young aren't in the building anymore, and while Canales surely joined the Panthers expecting to turn Young into a viable starter, Carolina will face a decision on his future after the season. 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?"
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Things would all be just a little bit easier if Young turns out to be the man.
But there is certainly the potential for some stumbles along the way. Even a guy like Daniel Jones has had impressive NFL flashes, but he wasn't a long-term starter. Young has to prove he can play positively for the long haul.
If he shows that ability, the Panthers will have an easier choice to pick up his $27 million option for 2027 and begin working on a longer-term deal. But if not, there'll still be lots for Carolina to figure out.
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