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The Carolina Panthers are set to report to training camp this upcoming week, beginning the next chapter for a franchise entering its 32nd year in the NFL.
As the Panthers embark on this journey, there's hope in the air, for the first time in nearly a decadeand expectations have risen thanks to their first division championship since the 2015 season.
Whether the Panthers continue to climb or fall back in 2026 will depend a great deal on fourth-year starting quarterback Bryce Young and how much he develops.
or doesn't.
That dynamic has been named the top storyline for Carolina going into training camp by Nick Shook at NFL.com.
Shook writes: Three seasons into his NFL career, Bryce Young hasn't quite produced enough hard evidence to prove he's a franchise quarterback..
In 2026, he needs to become more reliable on a weekly basis, an outcome that should be more likely after another offseason spent under coach Dave Canales.
If this is Young's breakout season, the Panthers will happily start discussing a long-term extension with the former No.
1 overall pick.
But even if they don't say it publicly, they still need to be convinced Young is headed in such a direction.
Otherwise, the fifth year of his deal could spell the beginning of a transition.
Consistency is the name of the game for this year for Young, who has had seven or eight brilliant games so far in his career as a pro.
That's just not enough out of 46 starts, thoughand the rest of his body of work has left much to be desired.
Above all else, Young has to take better care of the ball.
His interception total has been roughly the same from season to season10, nine and 11 respectivelybut he's fumbled far too many times, with 23 since he entered the NFL.
If Young can do that, and piece together some more production in the yardage department, it might be just enough to make the Panthers a playoff team to be feared.
That could also be enough for Young to secure a long-term contract extension.
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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: NFL analyst names top storyline for Panthers going into training camp.