Analyst predicts Carolina Panthers will bench quarterback Bryce Young in 2026
2 sources • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 4, 2026, 8:38 PM
Last updated Sep 4, 2026
The Carolina Panthers begin their 2026 season next week against the Chicago Bears with uncertainty surrounding quarterback Bryce Young. Entering his fourth professional season, Young faces pressure to produce a breakout performance after the team picked up his fifth-year option this offseason. CBS Sports analyst Douglas Clawson predicts that Young will be benched during the 2026 season if he fails to elevate his play, citing a 28th-place league ranking in EPA per dropback last year. While Young helped lead the team from worst to first in the NFC South last season, questions persist regarding his development. Should the team move on from Young, internal options include veteran Kenny Pickett and undrafted rookie Haynes King. The organization has maintained a preference for keeping Young on the field as long as he remains healthy to determine his long-term viability as a franchise quarterback.
- •Bryce Young enters his fourth year as the starting quarterback for the Carolina Panthers.
- •Carolina opens the 2026 season next weekend against the Chicago Bears.
- •Analysts suggest potential benching if Young does not show significant progress.
- •Kenny Pickett and Haynes King remain on the roster as alternative options.
- •The team previously exercised Young's fifth-year contract option during the offseason.
- 8:38 PMYahoo Sports — Bryce Young Gets Concerning Prediction Before 2026 NFL Season
- 11:15 AMYahoo Sports — Analyst predicts QB Bryce Young will get benched again by Panthers
"The Carolina Panthers are entering the 2026 season hoping Bryce Young can continue developing into the franchise quarterback they envisioned, but one bold prediction has raised the possibility of a dramatically different outcome. The projection suggests Young could lose his starting job during the season, creating a difficult question for a franchise that has invested […] The post Bryce Young Gets Concerning Prediction Before 2026 NFL Season appeared first on Gridiron Heroics.
"CBS Sports' one bold prediction for the Panthers paints a cloudy forecast for QB Bryce Young.
Sources
External links- Yahoo SportsSep 4, 2026, 8:38 PMBryce Young Gets Concerning Prediction Before 2026 NFL Season
The Carolina Panthers are entering the 2026 season hoping Bryce Young can continue developing into the franchise quarterback they envisioned, but one bold prediction has raised the possibility of a dramatically different outcome. The projection suggests Young could lose his starting job during the season, creating a difficult question for a franchise that has invested […] The post Bryce Young Gets Concerning Prediction Before 2026 NFL Season appeared first on Gridiron Heroics.
- Yahoo SportsSep 2, 2026, 11:15 AMAnalyst predicts QB Bryce Young will get benched again by Panthers
CBS Sports' one bold prediction for the Panthers paints a cloudy forecast for QB Bryce Young.
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