Panthers HC Dave Canales shares "confident" words about Bryce Young heading into 2025 season

Bryce Young is looking to elevate the Carolina Panthers to contention in his third season. Coach Dave Canales was encouraged by his quarterback's showing on the first day of OTAs.

“I feel really confident about what I saw today, especially going against the defense, the speed that we're playing with,” Canales told reporters on Tuesday.

Bryce Young had a disappointing debut season in 2023. The Panthers were easily the league's worst team at 2-15 despite having some good pieces like Adam Thielen and Derrick Brown. Young improved in his sophomore year and led the team to a 5-12 record. He was benched for Andy Dalton early on before regaining the starting role.

But there is reason for optimism in 2025. Chuba Hubbard has emerged as an offensive cornerstone, while Tetairoa McMillan has shown promise. Brown is healthy again after tearing his meniscus in the first week of the 2024 season, and Robert Hunt and Jaycee Horn have emerged as top-tier Pro Bowlers.

Young is confident that he and his teammates will be able to take the next step this season.

"Around this time last year, obviously it's a new system, new offense, so we're getting the basics, we're ironing out the day one first stuff," he said. "And now, we get to start so much further ahead, a lot of returning guys, a lot of familiar faces, a lot of kudos to the guys coming in, the free agents, the rookies that are coming in."

He continued:

"I think within the system, there's so many wrinkles and little things that build off of each other that the coaching staff has done a great job and has had a lot of success throughout the years... I don't know if we're there, and for us, it's exciting for us to have an opportunity to grow towards that and start a lot further so that we can reach all those little wrinkles."

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ESPN insider believes Bryce Young, Panthers, will have a winning record in 2025

The Panthers' last winning season was in 2017, when they finished 11-5 and lost to the Saints in the wild-card round. Since then, they have not crossed the seven-win mark, but ESPN's Ben Solak believes they are trending in the right direction.

"I'm not even sure I actually believe this, as I have my Bryce Young doubts. But what I like so much about the Panthers is what's around Young. Dave Canales has the goods and appears to be a future Coach of the Year. I'm confident the arrow is pointed up in Carolina."

The Panthers begin their season on the road against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sept. 7. Kickoff is at 1 pm ET on CBS.