Is Bryce Young an MVP potential player? (Getty Images)
He has a career record of 16-32 and has never won more than eight games in an NFL season. Pro Football Network’s QB Impact Score has him at 79.0, which ranks 11th in the league. Young’s own record explains the caution. That puts him close to established names such as Josh Allen, who sits 7th, and Joe Burrow, who sits 13th. It is one outlet’s measure, so treat it as context, not a verdict.
Speaking on ESPN’s First Take on Thursday, Smith said Carolina has to prove it can be more than a .500 team. The Panthers are 2-2 after a home win over the Detroit Lions, and Young leads the NFL with 1,268 passing yards through four weeks. In his view, Young needs the record to be a few games above .500 first. “Carolina is gonna have to show me they can be better than a .500 football team, but when you start talking MVP, I need to see you a few games above .500. More often than not, the MVP is a quarterback from a team with 12 or more wins.
Smith is not ready to put Bryce Young in the MVP race yet, but he has told fans what it would take. Stephen A. Carolina’s offense ranks fourth in both points and yards. The show asked whether Young is an MVP candidate, and Smith put it plainly. Is that too much to ask? That is not a harsh standard. The team numbers back the surge. Carolina ranks fourth in points scored and fourth in yards gained, an offense the franchise has not had since the Cam Newton days. That jump has led several voices to push Young’s name toward MVP talk.