One thing the Carolina Panthers don’t have to worry about is getting too much hype and developing an overinflated sense of their worth. Despite their progress, the reigning NFC South champs are considered far from a top contender—with few analysts predicting a better finish than last year’s 8-9 record.
The Panthers did win the division, but that’s not much to brag about considering it’s arguably the weakest one in the league. Heading into 2026, that hasn’t changed—and their group of quarterbacks has been ranked as the league’s worst by Nick Shook at NFL.com.
Here’s the portion Shook writes of Carolina’s Bryce Young:
I’m more apprehensive when it comes to Bryce Young, whose highs and lows vary too significantly for him to be trusted on a weekly basis. If Young can establish some consistency in his third year under coach Dave Canales, he can answer the many questions that follow him into the 2026 campaign, but that’s a big “if.
While nobody will claim that this group is better than the top-ranked NFC West, last place seems a bit harsh. At a minimum, we feel they should be ranked ahead of the AFC South quarterbacks—a bunch that features Houston’s C.J. Stroud, Indianapolis’ Daniel Jones, Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence and Tennessee’s Cam Ward.
Around the rest of the division, Tampa Bay’s Baker Mayfield is a solid starter and two-time Pro Bowler. New Orleans’ Tyler Shough looked really impressive in a small sample size as a rookie and Tua Tagovailoa is a former Pro Bowler himself.
As for Young, he started flashing elite potential in 2025—where he threw for career-highs across the board.. He also very nearly led Carolina to a second upset in the playoffs against the Los Angeles Rams—who have the best roster in the league, hands down.
With the NFC South’s crew trending upwards, perhaps they won’t be in the same spot on this list next offseason.
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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers’ Bryce Young, other NFC South QBs ranked NFL’s worst
