Hello CSR! Welcome to Brian Answers, part two of your weekly Panthers fan mailbag for everyone! We’re locked and loaded into the NFL Draft, coming soon, but this week seemed to focus more on the current state of the team! This is your weekly forum to ask your questions, whether they be Panthers related, football related, or even completely off topic! Let’s dive in!
I’ve spent most of the off-season avoiding the questions about replacing Bryce Young and when, but since you all were kind enough to throw
me questions from both sides of the coin, I decided to bite on it.
KeepPounding88: As a member of the “Bryce is not good enough” club, when is the earliest I can expect his replacement to arrive? And in what form do you expect that to be (draft, FA, trade)?
Bryce Young’s replacement is not going to arrive this season. They may draft a developmental QB, in fact I kind of expect it even though I’m not a fan of Drew Allar and have been saying it all offseason. So therefore I have accepted they are going to draft him and there’s nothing I can do about it.
But anyway, onto the more serious note. Everything Dan Morgan, Dave Canales, and Brandt Tillis have said during this offseason leads me to believe Bryce Young is their guy for 2026, and they will re-evaluate in 2027. So 2027 is the earliest I would expect one to arrive, and even then, with the 5th year option flexibility, they may only bring in competition and not an assumed replacement. Unless things really fall off the wheels in 2026 (which honestly could happen, it is an even year after all), I don’t think they’ll be slinging high dollars in free agency at a replacement. I expect the NFL Draft in 2027 is the earliest they bring someone in, and if they don’t draft a guy then, in 2028 they would probably sign a free agent if Bryce Young is moved on from.
SnarkyComet: As a member of the “Bryce is only going to get better” club, when is the earliest we can pay the man? And in what form do you expect that to be (8-10 year contract, final roster say, % ownership)?
I know the last part of the question was somewhat in jest, but I appreciate both sides of the question being presented. If Bryce Young were to have a successful 2026 season, they may be looking to figure out a contract in 2027. HOWEVER, I do not think they will just give him the next top 5 average salary contract at that time. They may give him a big bag of money that will still infuriate the fans that want him gone, but I would expect both him and the team to ride out that 5th year option if the expectation is to be paid like Patrick Mahomes. Unfortunately, the longer you wait to pay a QB, the more expensive it gets, which is why teams often fall into the trap of paying a QB that you can’t really be 100% sure about for the next 10+ seasons. But the earliest they pay him is 2027, and that would be after a season where things have gone well.
schrodingersblackcat: Assuming Bryce’s 2026 season is “good enough” (at least as judged by our FO) to keep the franchise on the hook, what steps can our FO take to make sure we don’t end up like Miami or NYG holding an obscene Tua/Daniel Jones contract for a QB whose long term viability is still highly suspect after 4 full seasons?
The best things they can do is just continue to draft well, and build the team outside of the quarterback situation. What seemed to sink Miami was sinking draft capital into Tyreek Hill and other veterans to try and create a Super Bowl window, so when injuries and bad play sank Tua Tagovailoa’s seasons, the Dolphins crashed with it. With Daniel Jones, they made a decision to pay him and then blew up the whole coaching staff when it didn’t work out right away.
I think in the end, the best thing Carolina can do is pay Bryce Young WHEN they have decided he is the guy for them for the next 3-4 years, and then stick with the plan. I’m not sure where I fall on Bryce Young being the franchise guy for the foreseeable future, but I am of the opinion that if he has a good season in 2026, pay him then. Get him at somewhere around the QB10-15 contract, layer in some incentives, keep the guy happy, and avoid dealing with a market resetting contract situation by waiting until after the 5th year option season is gone and he’s a pending free agent. Of course, this is all based on the theoreticals that he has a good 2026 season, and that the team has identified him as their guy for at least the next 3-4 seasons. And if they do decide that he is, STICK WITH THE PLAN. Don’t blow up the whole foundation, keep building on it.
bolshy: We’ve got some nice players on both sides of the ball and we seem to have some gaping holes too. How would you rank our overall roster compared to other NFL teams?
I’d say somewhere in the top 20, probably the lower end of that. They have some high quality starters that would start anywhere in the NFL, but the Panthers definitely need more depth before they find themselves anywhere near the top 10. They’ve accumulated really good players at many positions, but are a couple of injuries away at spots like DL, CB, S, OG, OT, and WR where all of a sudden things could be really terrible at those positions. But such is the nature of the NFL, at least now the biggest of our problems is figuring out whether high end veterans like Nick Scott should be starting!
GooseCreek: I foresee Dave Canales, Brandt Tilis, and Eric Eager all working closely with Dan Morgan during the upcoming draft days. Each have their niche of expertise, Eager projects how the draft will progress, Tilis provides the fiscal effects of drafting different positions, and Canales provides his preferred picks to build this team. Also, David and Nicole Tepper will undoubtedly provide an overview of the process. Who is the last person Dan talks to before submitting a pick, Dave or David?
I mean, the last couple of seasons all of the decision makers have been sitting in the war room for the early picks when they get submitted. I assume Tepper would be the last person he talks to when they all come to a conclusion, but I don’t think it really matters that much since they all collaborate during the final moments of the draft process.
Bruce Guild: So Brooks is healthy and Chubba plays good enough, how do you see Brooks being used. Is all Chubba all the time with a light sprinkling of Brooks to start?
What happens if Brooks shows he is the more capable back as season goes on, do we end up with the rotation of series like we did with Rico?
What is it going to take for Brooks to take the spot as RB1 for good?
I do think that in the beginning, Jonathon Brooks will be used as more of a change of pace back, though he definitely could get the early Rico Dowdle treatment if the team is pretty certain he’s healthy and has a grasp on the offense. The team did trade up to acquire him, so if he’s healthy and cooking I would expect him to be heavily involved in their plans. I wouldn’t expect him to take the RB1 spot for good in 2026, even barring an injury to Chuba Hubbard. The Panthers seem intent on using multiple RBs for multiple scenarios, and I’m fine with that. It would give Brooks time to truly acclimate to the NFL without overworking him. But I’m not going into the season with those expectations, I’m just excited to see what he can bring to the table and we can project from there!
Chef: So…My guy Sadiq has gone from the OMG I want that guy to anybody but him at 19 guy around these parts over the last several weeks…Which side of the fence are you on and why?
I have been trying to keep Kenyon Sadiq away from the comparisons of other athletic first round tight ends like Kyle Pitts and OJ Howard, but I understand fans concerns with the guy. He’s an incredible athlete, but his college production and current fit for the NFL doesn’t profile to me an instant, can’t miss starter. Still, I think he’d be an interesting fit with Carolina. For one, he’d be paired with two bigger receivers in Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker who can both work outside and as big slot receivers, so he would not have to occupy one singular role as a receiver. For two, he’d be in a tight end room with a lot of guys who can take the early blocking work as an in-line tight end off his plate, so he’d be poised to simply be a weapon early on while he acclimates to the rest of his duties as TE1.
However, with all that said, that bodes the question; if he’s not ready for all of the things I just said he wouldn’t have to do right away, is he the best pick at 19 for a team with so many other needs? Personally, I’d be excited if they pick him. But I understand the concerns.
PantherEarp: Are we showing our hand like when we drafted XL or……..Could we possibly see year 2 of a smoke screen when it comes to the draft? Last year, it was all but a given that we were taking Jalon Walker. Seems like Dave made some comments about the offense being TE friendly recently. Makes me think of how Dave talked up Jalon Walker on Up & Adams show last year. I’d like to hear your thoughts.
I don’t think the Panthers are showing their hands at all as far as who they are looking to Draft. And that’s mainly because I don’t think they really know who is going to be available to them. There’s no real way to predict how the 18 picks ahead of them are going to fall, so I think they are doing a ton of due diligence right now. Last season was a bit different because they only had to predict the scenarios involving the 7 picks ahead of them. I think last season was another lesson of “don’t listen to the media” when it comes to predicting a draft pick. 2024 was a weird season for the draft since Carolina walked in without a first round pick.
I.E. Panther: With Avieon Terrell aggravating his hamstring at his private workout. Do you think there is a chance that he falls to 51, and if he does, has Carolina shown enough interest in him to put him in play for us???
I don’t think Terrell will fall that far if he drops out of the first round. The high second round is the perfect place for teams to take a swing on a first round talent with an injury. I wouldn’t see him making it past the Titans honestly.
schrodingersblackcat: Brian, who is the most divisive person (player or non-player) in Panthers franchise history?
Despite by instinct to answer Brenton Bersin, Colin Jones, or Nick Scott, its gotta be Cam Newton, right? He’s beloved by many Carolina fans now but he was divisive since day one, both by Panthers fans and NFL fans. Every time he drops his opinions on his podcasts you see a ton of rage in the comments (though to be fair, that’s just the internet these days). I can’t remember a Panthers player short of maybe Steve Smith who got the internet talking quite like Cam Newton. Truly an enigma.
DeeJ_93: Im damn near pounding the table to trade up for Sonny Styles. Normally I am against trading up, but this dude seems like the real deal. Him next to Devin Lloyd is tantalizing. Getting past how unrealistic that is, what do you think of trading up for him (or anybody I suppose) Brian?
I don’t think this iteration of the Panthers should be trading up in the first round, unless it involves something like trading their 3rd rounder. They just have too many other positions to address. If they moved from like 19 to 15 and got Sonny Styles without giving up a ton of resources, I’d be happy about it. But Styles seems like a surefire top 10 pick, and I don’t expect that trade to be cheap. Would probably involve a future first or their second round pick this year, plus more.
That’s all for this week, Panthers fans. Join us next week for another edition of the fan mailbag!
