Should the Panthers really consider selecting a QB in the 2026 NFL Draft?
· Yahoo Sports
At quarterback, the Carolina Panthers seem to have found their franchise guy in former No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young. And at the very least, they should be giving him as much runway as possible to fulfill his potential after demonstrating some serious upside over the last two seasons.
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The backup situation behind Young is a bit of a mess, though—as it has been since the Baker Mayfield/Sam Darnold pairing back in 2022.
This year, the Panthers have subbed out the aging Andy Dalton and replaced him with 27-year-old Kenny Pickett, who projects as the No. 2 behind Young . . . for now.
As to whether or not the team plans on adding another quarterback in the draft, head coach Dave Canales certainly does not sound interested. Here's what he told The Charlotte Observer at the annual league meeting earlier this week:
"Not really... I prefer guys that have been trained. … Kenny Pickett’s been trained. I hope to accent his training... If we draft a guy, there’s going to be a lot of time invested."
Carolina fans who are familiar with Pickett's "training" have a right to be upset by the comment, assuming that is actually how Canales feels and not misdirection leading into the draft.
Pickett did display some tantalizing traits during his time at the University of Pittsburgh, but his work in the pros has fallen far short of what is expected at this level. In 36 NFL games, Pickett has thrown the same number of touchdowns as interceptions (16) and has a cumulative passer rating of 78.2. In six outings last season, his QBR was just 3.4.
As far as traits go, aside from foot speed, Pickett offers very little in the way of improvements over Dalton as a backup.
Long story short, Pickett may live up to his potential. But so far, Canales has not shown he has earned the "quarterback whisperer" moniker that followed him from one year of calling plays for a loaded Tampa Bay offense.
If Pickett is going to earn a spot as a starter in this league, it likely won't be with the Panthers—or anywhere else anytime soon.
That means the Panthers should at least be kicking the tires on quarterback prospects from the class of 2026—because if anything happens to Young, their offense will be toast.
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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers should be considering QBs in 2026 NFL Draft class