CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Carolina Panthers coach Dave Canales has avoided saying Bryce Young can be the organization's franchise quarterback moving forward, but a player he helped develop into the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' franchise QB didn't hesitate.
Baker Mayfield, the No. 1 pick of the 2018 draft, couldn't say enough good things about Young, the No. 1 pick of the 2023 draft, after Sunday 26-23 overtime victory over the Panthers at Bank of America Stadium -- including that Young can be a franchise quarterback despite a 4-19 record.
"Speaking from experience of the ups and downs of the league -- to see it through, come out on the other side -- it makes you stronger in the end,'' Mayfield said. "Knowing who he's working with now is a big part of that with the positivity and confidence aspect of it.
"This guy has the potential to do anything he wants to do.''
Mayfield speaks from experience. He went from being the top pick in 2018 by the Cleveland Browns to being traded to Carolina in 2022 for a 2024 conditional fifth-round pick to being released with a 1-5 record to being claimed by the Los Angeles Rams before signing with the Buccaneers in 2023.
That's when he paired up with Canales, who was in his first year as an offensive coordinator, often referring to him as an "optimist bully'' because of his sunny outlook to everything.
Mayfield had a career-best 28 touchdown passes, 10 interceptions and made the Pro Bowl. He was rewarded with a three-year, $100 million extension.
He doesn't see why Young can't enjoy similar success under Canales, saying several times on Sunday how "proud'' he was of the fellow Heisman Trophy winner.
"He played his ass off,'' Mayfield said.
Canales agreed that Young played "great'' against the Buccaneers (6-6). He played so well that for the first time since Young regained the starting job from for Andy Dalton five games ago, Canales wasn't asked if Young would start the next week.
It's become a given.
But Canales has been careful not to project his expectations for Young beyond the next game or the end of the season. General manager Dan Morgan recently said the team wouldn't sit down and discuss plans for the future of the quarterback position until the postseason.
But based on his performance and 2-2 record the past four games, he is making a strong case to at least compete for the job in 2025.
Bryce Young floats one to Adam Thielen for a touchdown and a lead with under a minute remaining.
With 298 yards passing on Sunday, Young now has throw for 250-plus yards in consecutive games for the first time in his career, and he became the first Carolina quarterback with consecutive 250-plus passing yards and no turnovers since 2012 when Cam Newton did it.
Sunday's passing yards total was second only to Young's 312 yards last season against the Green Bay Packers.
But what made this effort perhaps more impressive was that Young was successful when the running game wasn't working. Carolina had only 78 yards on 21 carries, so Young had to carry the offense. He even had his second career rushing touchdown, a 10-yard scramble in the first half.
"I told him I'm proud of him,'' guard Robert Hunt said. "I'm extremely proud of him. He's playing really good ball and that's what we need from him. Games like this build confidence. Not just this game but the last month ... you can tell he's getting more confident and comfortable in the pocket.''
Were it not for an overtime fumble by running back Chuba Hubbard with Carolina in position for a game-winning field goal in overtime, Young should have won for the third time in four games.
Instead, Carolina fell to 3-9, assuring it will have a seventh straight losing season.
"Bryce has played great,'' Hubbard said. "Every week he's got better in some way or form. He's leading the offense. He's making the right plays, doing the right things. I can just see how comfortable he is.''
Wide receiver Adam Thielen was particularly impressed that nobody -- including Young -- felt the need to say something in the huddle before their touchdown drive in the final minutes of regulation, which put Carolina ahead before Tampa Bay tied it with a field goal as time expired.
"That's what good teams do,'' said Thielen, on the receiving end of Young's 25-yard touchdown pass with 30 seconds left in regulation. "They just get on the field and they just go. I felt that when we got in the huddle and no one really said anything, 'All right. We're on onto something.' ''
When asked how impressed he was of Young, Mayfield said: "I'm just proud of him.''