Having a good offensive line in the NFL is almost always vital to success. They determine how well the passing and running game work because they are either protecting the quarterback or opening lanes for the running back. That's true of the Carolina Panthers. It's also true that Bryce Young got better once the Panthers upgraded his offensive line. It stands to reason, then, that Young will improve again in 2026 because the line is in much better shape. However, while it was smart for the Panthers to beef up the offensive line, Young's production didn't necessarily mandate it. An upgraded offensive line is nice, but Bryce Young does fine without itCarolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) looks to pass as guard Damien Lewis (68) and offensive tackle Yosh Nijman (77) block | Bob Donnan-Imagn ImagesThe Carolina Panthers have arguably upgraded the two weakest spots on the offensive line this offseason by bringing in Rasheed Walker or Monroe Freeling at left tackle and Sam Hecht at center. Bryce Young should be as comfortable in the pocket as he ever has been, which is good for a player who thrives when making plays out of structure and is a good processor. But the Panthers didn't necessarily have to spend so much to improve the offensive line. Young, like all QBs, benefits from good protection, but he's also pretty good at mitigating bad protection and making things happen when protection breaks down. Young was one of the most efficient at not letting pressures turn into sacks in 2025, with a pressure to sack ratio around 13.5%. When Young avoids a sack, which he's obviously pretty good at, he has a ridiculous +26.5 total EPA. That is a dramatic upturn from his normal under-pressure EPA, which hovers right around net neutral. When he is under pressure, he's a normal QB. But when he escapes, which he often does, he's elite. Plus, PFF broke down the QBs who struggle most with clean-to-pressure drops in efficiency, and Young was not on the list. Geno Smith, C.J. Stroud, Joe Flacco, Bo Nix, and Drake Maye were on the list. Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) passes the ball as Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Yaya Diaby | Bob Donnan-Imagn ImagesThat means Young isn't in bad territory there, and the other numbers suggest he's pretty adept at managing a subpar protection plan. That doesn't mean the Panthers can or should've ignored the offensive line, but it does mean they might've overinvested just a bit. Regardless, Young will have a better time under center with better protection, so while they might've been able to get by otherwise, the Panthers will likely not regret giving Young a better offensive line. Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow