QB Bryce Young starting to flourish, put up big numbers in Panthers offense

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Entering this season, Bryce Young wasn't known as a quarterback who consistently put up huge numbers.

But in his fourth season, the 25-year-old is off to the best start of his career.

His six touchdown passes through two games are tied with Dallas' Dak Prescott, Detroit's Jared Goff and Las Vegas' Kirk Cousins for the most in the league, and his 648 yards passing are second only to New Orleans' Tyler Shough.

That puts Young on pace to throw for more than 5,000 yards and 51 touchdowns, which would not only dwarf his previous career highs of 3,011 yards and 23 touchdowns, but set some franchise records.

“The numbers speak for themselves,” said Panthers tight end Tommy Tremble, who has played with Young since the QB came into the league as the No. 1 overall pick in 2023. “He's making plays and he's been balling. I just keep seeing his trajectory keep going up and up. I'm excited for him."

Then Tremble joked, “if you don't have him on your fantasy team now, you better get on it.”

It's unlikely Young will be able to keep up this pace.

His numbers are likely skewed some by a Week 1 shootout with Chicago in which Carolina's defense allowed 59 points to Caleb Williams and the Bears, forcing the Panthers offense into a shootout.

Still, Young has the Panthers (1-1) finally looking like a formidable offense for the first time since the Cam Newton era.

Carolina enters Sunday’s Week 3 game at Cleveland second in the league in scoring behind only Josh Allen’s Buffalo Bills, and fourth in yards per game.

Young has looked more confident, more in control of the offense in Year 4.

Panthers coach Dave Canales attributes Young's early success this season to this being his third season in the same offensive system, having the familiarity of entering this year playing alongside the same core group of wide receivers as in 2025 and the steps he's made in "taking ownership” of the offense.

Canales said the latter is vital.

He has noticed Young communicating more with the team's receivers in practice and meetings on exactly how he wants them to run routes and where he plans to throw the ball. That has helped ensure everyone is on the same page.

That was evident, Canales said, on one of Young's touchdown tosses to tight end Darren Waller in Sunday's 34-3 win over the Atlanta Falcons.

“He's talking to the skill players about what he’s expecting, the timing of when he’s going to throw this thing,” Canales said. “It's been, ‘I gotta have you with your eyes around right here.' Or, ‘I would like you to come straight back to me out of the top of this (route).’ And, 'when you make this move, keep it vertical away from the backside safety.’”

Although this is Young's first season working with offensive coordinator Brad Idzik calling plays, the offense has largely remained the same.

Canales said that has allowed the Panthers to determine the best positions to put Young in to succeed in terms of play calls and the throws he likes to make.

“We’ve been fine-tuning this offense to fit Bryce’s strengths,” Canales said. “Our goal is to try to create this so that we’re doing what he does well. Bryce is seeing that, taking that, and then he’s putting his stamp on it.”

Young could be tested this week, though.

Jalen Coker and Xavier Legette missed practice on Thursday with injuries, raising doubt about their availability for Sunday. Coker and Young, in particular, have developed a great chemistry. They have connected on 16 of 18 targets this season.

Young said the numbers he's putting up don't matter to him. He just wants to “go 1-0 each week.”

“I think it been a matter of us just trusting each other and our execution," Young said. “Brad is doing a great job on game days and throughout the week of having a plan and putting things together. And all of us are buying into that. But (past success) doesn’t entitle you to anything. The score will be 0-0 when we start on Sunday, so we have to flush it."

See AP’s full NFL coverage here