NFL Report Card: Shock rise few saw coming… and QB dilemmas that are no closer to being solved

Week 10

NEW YORK JETS (4-4)

The expectations around this team were sky high entering the season but those hopes were dashed when Aaron Rodgers suffered an ACL injury on the first drive of the Jets season.
His replacement Zach Wilson has had some good moments since, but it’s been abundantly clear that you can’t win a Super Bowl with him at the helm.
The defence has kept the Jets in most games, which must be frustrating for their passionate fans who would be thinking what could have been. Rodgers is giving himself a chance to return in

Grade: C

BUFFALO BILLS (5-4)

This is not a team who should be 5-4 and on the outside looking in of the AFC playoff picture. For that reason they receive what is barely a passing grade.
Josh Allen leads the league in total touchdowns and total QBR (Quarterback Rating) this season, but he’s also good at undoing all of that with interceptions at key moments that have turned out to be critical turnovers in close losses.
The defence has taken an absolute battering this season with three of the Bills’ best players on that side of the ball out for most to all of the season (LB Matt Milano, CB Tre White, DT DaQuan Jones).
Entering this season, Buffalo were second favourites in the AFC. Now, they face a battle to even make the postseason.

Grade: C+

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (2-7)

We’ll find out over the next couple of months whether QB Mac Jones does enough to be considered for the starting role next season. At this stage, you’d have to say he’s up against it. New England has been pretty awful this year so perhaps legendary coach Bill Belichick is on the hot seat as well. Being out of the running so early in the season is a situation the Patriots have seldom faced over the past 20-25 years, but now is the time for the young guys to gain some reps and more opportunities, notably rookies WR Kayshon Boutte and LB Marte Mapu. Much like sixth round pick Demario Douglas has received and taken advantage of.

Grade: D

AFC WEST

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (7-2)

The offence isn’t ticking along as well as they have in previous seasons perhaps, but that could be harsh as the Chiefs are still 7-2. It just doesn’t feel as if they are cohesive as years past but they’ll likely figure it all out.
The defence meanwhile has been outstanding. In nine games, the Chiefs have allowed just 143 points, third to the Ravens (124) and the Browns (139 – 8 games). Even this far out from the end of the season, they look a shoe-in to collect their eighth-straight AFC West crown.

Grade: A-

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (4-5)

The firing of coach Josh McDaniels has invigorated this locker room. That was evident in the Raiders’ 30-6 thumping of the Giants last week.
The defence has played lights out at times, with Maxx Crosby again asserting himself as one of the league’s premier pass rushers even with former running mate Chandler Jones being released after some questionable antics.
QB Jimmy Garoppolo has been careless with the ball and has now been replaced by rookie Aidan O’Connell, who starred against the Giants. Reigning rushing champ Josh Jacobs has been one of the disappointments of the season, but he has recaptured some form in recent weeks. Don’t be shocked to see the Raiders make a run in the back half of the season.

Grade: C+

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (4-4)

Can’t Justin Herbert have one full season with a healthy room of receivers to work with?

It seems like a repeat of last season, where Mike Williams and Keenan Allen missed a chunk of time, Herbert played through injury and the Chargers in general just never got going.
Once again Herbert isn’t healthy, playing through a fractured middle finger. Thankfully it is on his left, non-throwing hand but it is limiting his effectiveness and ability as a runner.
Herbert wasn’t much of a runner in the first place but it just caps the upside of this offence which already looks predictable and at times out of sync with Williams (ACL) and Josh Palmer (knee) sidelined.
Allen can only do so much while even Austin Ekeler has not looked 100 per cent returning from an ankle injury. Rookie first-round pick Quentin Johnston, meanwhile, is a project that seems a fair way off being ready to handle the added responsibility that has been thrown his way with Palmer and Williams unavailable.
Using Johnston on screen passes to capitalise on his YAC ability though appears the Chargers’ best bet.
If there is anything working in their favour it is the fact the defence is playing at a high level, meaning Herbert and co. didn’t even need to do much in their last start win over the Jets.

The Chargers sit at second in the AFC West and should be good enough to hold off the Raiders and Broncos, even with the injuries on offence.
Good enough though is not what the Chargers would have been aiming for after last year’s crushing Wild Card Round loss to the Jaguars.

Grade: B-

DENVER BRONCOS (3-5)

The play of their defence has been one of the most remarkable turnarounds in the league this season. They were walloped by the Dolphins in Week 3, allowing 70 points but in recent weeks, they’ve kept Kansas City to 28 total points in their two games together and the Packers to just 17. They also ended their lengthy losing streak against the Chiefs with a dominant 24-9 win last start. Russell Wilson and new coach Sean Payton are steadily forming a good partnership, with the maligned QB vastly improved on last season’s horror show. They’d get a B if this was a report card for the last month but having to take into account their 1-5 start, Denver only just record a passing grade

Grade: C-

AFC NORTH

BALTIMORE RAVENS (7-2)

Nearly prepared to call them the best team in the NFL. They are just so well balanced, which was proven in their 37-3 beatdown of the in-form Seattle Seahawks even though Lamar Jackson only accounted for 247 yards and 0 touchdowns. Undrafted rookie Keaton Mitchell was a nice surprise and if he can compliment Gus Edwards and become the team’s home run hitter at RB in the absence of injured JK Dobbins, this team has all bases covered. Statistically speaking, Baltimore possesses the best defence in football, with opposition teams only averaging 13.7 points per game.

Grade: A+

CINCINNATI BENGALS (5-3)

After a slow start, Cincy are well and truly back on track after three straight wins against very good teams (Bills, 49ers, Seahawks). Joe Burrow is seemingly over the calf injury which plagued him early on with he and the rest of the offence humming. Remarkably, the Bengals find themselves in last place in the extremely competitive AFC North, but in the next month expect that to change as it shapes up as being a battle between them and the Ravens for the division. The poor start to the season takes them down to an A- from an A.

Grade: A-

CLEVELAND BROWNS (5-3)

Thrashed the Cardinals last week to improve their record to 5-3, which is a terrific effort considering the quarterback play has been spotty at best this season and standout running back Nick Chubb is on injured reserve after suffering a gruesome leg injury. Deshaun Watson has yet to play close to the level expected of a $230m (USD) quarterback although he was better against the Cardinals. The Browns defence deserves all of the plaudits. Through eight games, opposing teams have only been able to manage 1160 passing yards on the Browns. Cornerbacks Denzel Ward and Greg Newsome have been two of the best in the league at that position. Never mind passing yards though, the Cardinals recorded just 58 total yards last week – the lowest figure this season. Star puss rusher Myles Garrett is enjoying a career year, currently second in the league for sacks (9.5).

Grade: B+

PITTSBURGH STEELERS (5-3)

They’ve compiled a decent record after eight games but it’s hard to be solid on the Steelers just yet. While the likes of Jaylen Warren and Diontae Johnson are solid contributors, their offence is spotty right now. The play of their defence has been mostly faultless, and will continue to win them a lot of games while the offence continues to work things out. They hold the distinction of being the last team to beat the Ravens this season. While you have to give them props for a 5-3 record, they aren’t as good as that and will even out over the next month or so.

Grade: B-

AFC SOUTH

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (6-2)

The Jaguars are one of the hardest teams to get a read of at the moment, although the fact they sit with a 6-2 record despite inconsistency on offence is a great sign.

Expectations were high of Jacksonville and young quarterback Trevor Lawrence this season, particularly with the addition of star wide receiver Calvin Ridley.

Ridley and Lawrence though have struggled to build chemistry so far, with Christian Kirk instead being the team’s more trusty receiver.
That’s understandable too given Kirk works more from the slot while Ridley is more of a contested catch threat on the outside.
Finding ways to get Ridley more involved, including in the short and intermediate area of the field, could help add another dimension to Jacksonville’s offence while the return of Zay Jones (knee) will also help.
Of course, Travis Etienne is the focal point of this offence at the moment with the running game humming while the defence has been the unexpected hero for Jacksonville this year.
The Jags lead the league in turnovers (18) and the offensive line will also be improved after the trade deadline, with Jacksonville making a move for Minnesota Vikings guard Ezra Cleveland.
All in all, it has been a strong start to the season for the Jaguars and the scary part is this team could be even better if the passing game really clicks.
If there is one criticism of Jacksonville it would be the team’s relatively soft draw to start the season, although games against the 49ers, Bengals and Ravens are coming up and should be a good gauge of how far they can go.

Grade: A-

HOUSTON TEXANS (4-4)

One of the bigger surprises of the season.
Rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud has overcome a poor running game and banged up offensive line to step up and lead the Texans to a 4-4 record.
That is already better than the three wins they managed last season. Stroud ranks third in the league for passing yards per game (283.8), obviously propped up by last week’s record-breaking effort against the Buccaneers.
What is particularly impressive though is that Stroud has just the one interception to his name so far this season.
The young quarterback out of Ohio State is proving a defence’s best friend, making big plays when he needs to while also making the smart plays when it is called for.
In other words, he is helping keep the offence on the field and should only get better with more experience. This may not be a team that goes deep into the playoffs but even getting there in the first place would be a huge win.

Grade: B+

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (4-5)

What could have been if rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson was still healthy?
Richardson, who entered the NFL with plenty of hype given his elite athleticism and rushing ability, was also showing plenty of poise and growth as a passer early.
Unfortunately season-ending shoulder surgery brought his rookie campaign to a premature end but the Colts are lucky to have one of the best back-up QBs in the league to turn to in Gardner Minshew.

Indianapolis has proven one of the more exciting teams in the league to watch, playing at an incredibly fast paced that has lended itself to high-scoring shootouts more often than not.
There have been plenty of injuries to the secondary but the defence made big plays in last week’s win over the Panthers, led by a two-touchdown performance from Kenny Moore.
With the emergence of rookie receiver Josh Downs (who picked up a knee injury last week) and rushing Jonathan Taylor and Zack Moss provide, this Colts team could still continue to surprise.

Grade: B-

TENNESSEE TITANS (3-5)

The Titans looked to be logical sellers at the trade deadline, although they didn’t do much outside of parting ways with safety Kevin Byard.
It seemed like this was a team on the decline and in desperate need of a shake-up that still refused to believe it wasn’t a genuine contender.
It is why there was some level of scepticism that rookie quarterback Will Levis would retain his starting spot when Ryan Tannehill was healthy, even after a four-touchdown effort against the Falcons.

But the Titans finally made one right call earlier in the week when they announced Levis would in fact be the starter moving forward.

Sure, there will be growing pains as there are still some question marks about his decision-making and accuracy but at least Levis isn’t afraid to launch it deep.

He adds much-needed juice to an offence that was living within itself with Tannehill at quarterback and he hasn’t even really had to lean on rushing ability yet either.
Moving forward, the focus for the rest of the season has to be on letting Levis slip up and learn from his mistakes while also building his confidence playing with a true alpha receiver in DeAndre Hopkins.

Grade: C-

NFC EAST

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (8-1)

Competing with the Ravens for the title of the best team in football at the moment.

Jalen Hurts continues to get the job done even if he is playing hurt after picking up a left knee injury.
The much-maligned ‘Brotherly Shove’, meanwhile, still makes every other team in the NFL jealous simply because they can’t do it nearly as well as the Eagles.
It is just automatic, as is A.J. Brown, who had a slow start to the season but has since caught fire to already surpass over 1,000 receiving yards.
Brown and DeVonta Smith will only be relied on even more with tight end Dallas Goedert headed for a stint on the sidelines.
Fortunately the Eagles will also be able to lean on their running game behind the best offensive line in football.
If there is one hole in this Philadelphia team it is the secondary, which is banged up and has seen the Eagles quickly become a pass funnel defence.

Grade: A

DALLAS COWBOYS (5-3)

It is more of the season of what we saw from Dallas last season.
This is a Super Bowl-calibre defence with almost all of the right pieces on offence, but one giant question mark at quarterback.

So, is Dak Prescott still the guy who can take the Cowboys all the way? That remains to be seen.
Losses to the Eagles and 49ers though suggest Dallas still has some way to go before becoming a true contender, although not all of it is on Prescott obviously.

Mike McCarthy’s playcalling was definitely an issue earlier in the season, although the Cowboys have done better to get the ball into star receiver CeeDee Lamb’s hands more often.
If anything, the run game continues to struggle to produce with a lack of creativity in the way the team is using Tony Pollard, who was a revelation last season as the lightning to Ezekiel Elliott’s thunder.
Now Pollard is being run up the gut too much and it is reducing his efficiency and explosiveness, with the possibility that Rico Dowdle could be mixed in more to try get the rushing game going.
Overall, the Cowboys have done what they have needed to do this season but losses to quality opposition raises questions over their true ceiling.

Grade: B

WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (4-5)

Montez Sweat is gone. Chase Young too. The Commanders were aggressive sellers at the trade deadline, starting their rebuild early.

Although that doesn’t mean this season is a lost cause either.
The Commanders still have a chance to see what they’ve got in quarterback Sam Howell, who is on pace to break the NFL record for most sacks taken.
That speaks to both Howell’s need to throw more quick, decisive passes to get the ball out faster and also the upgrades that are necessary to address the offensive line’s issues.
Still, with a talented receiving core that includes Terry McLaurin and Jahan Doston, the Commanders will be able to score plenty of points.

Losing Sweat and Young though means they’ll leak plenty too.

Grade: C+

NEW YORK GIANTS (2-7)

What a disaster.
There was the Saquon Barkley contract dispute before the season even started and things only got worse from there, starting off with a 40-0 shutout at the hands of the Cowboys.
A 31-28 win over the Cardinals offered a brief reprieve, as did an improved showing against the Bills earlier last month but any hope of rescuing a lost season is gone.

Last year’s playoffs appearance seems so long ago now, with the Giants closer to a full-scale rebuild than contending for a Super Bowl.

The decision to sign Daniel Jones on a four-year, $160 million contract looks an even worse decision after the Giants quarterback tore his ACL in last week’s loss to the Raiders.

The offensive line is a mess and back-up quarterback Tyrod Taylor is also injured, meaning third-string option Tommy DeVito gets the nod for the starting gig against Dallas.

That 40-0 loss earlier in the year may be an optimistic scoreline on Monday for a Giants team without their top receiving threat in tight end Darren Waller.

The defence has actually performed quite well but is not helped by the fact they are having to play so much given this Giants offence just can’t stay on the field long enough.

Honestly, the less said about them the better. At this point, Giants fans are better off tuning into the college football season to get a glimpse at who they could be drafting next year.
The only reason the grade isn’t lower is because of the role injuries have played in their struggles this year.

Grade: D-

NFC WEST
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (5-3)

When healthy, the 49ers are absolutely a Super Bowl contender — especially after trading for star defensive end Chase Young before the deadline.

Staying healthy though has proven an issue for some of the team’s biggest names, with San Francisco losing its past three games with Deebo Samuel and Trent Williams sidelined.

Samuel looks set to return this weekend while Williams shouldn’t be too far off either and that should buy quarterback Brock Purdy more time to operate after a few concerning, turnover-heavy performances.

The defence has obviously also put Purdy in advantageous situations more often than not, so it will be interesting to see how he handles any future games where the 49ers are trailing and he is under more pressure to deliver.

Grade: B+

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (5-3)

Was last season just a flash in the pan for Geno Smith? It sure looks like it at this point.

Smith was the Comeback Player of the Year last season after the back-up quarterback finally got his shot as a starter and proved his doubters wrong, throwing 30 touchdowns to 11 interceptions with a QBR of 62.8.

This season though has seen Smith and the Seahawks crash back down to earth, with the 33-year-old throwing nine touchdowns and seven interceptions with a QBR of 56.2.

Of course, it is not all on Smith as the offensive line has had its fair share of issues with right tackle Abe Lucas still sidelined.

Unfortunately it will be hard for Seattle to lean on the run game either with a brutal schedule upcoming, meaning it will only be more important that Smith improves his quarterback play.

The next two match-ups against the Commanders and Rams will be crucial as Seattle plays four games against the 49ers, Cowboys and Eagles in the four weeks that follow.

Outside of an overtime win over the Lions the Seahawks haven’t had any really impressive wins this season that suggest they are legitimate contenders.

Grade: B-

LOS ANGELES RAMS (3-6)

This was supposed to be a team challenging the Cardinals and Panthers for the worst record in football.

Instead, with a healthy Matthew Stafford this young Rams unit has exceeded expectations and while the playoffs appear increasingly unlikely a full-scale rebuild may not actually be needed.

The defence in particular has been a big surprise while rookie receiver Puka Nacua has been one of the best stories in the NFL this season.

The finger injury to Matthew Stafford was a wake-up call of sorts for the Rams, who clearly realised Brett Rypien was not up to standard as the team’s primary back-up QB option, immediately making a move to sign Carson Wentz.

It is hard to see the Rams pushing the Seahawks or the 49ers for a top-two spot in the NFC West but there is reason for Sean McVay to be optimistic, with a first-round pick and over $57 million in projected cap space to work with according to Over The Cap.

Considering expectations heading into the season, the Rams get a C+.

Grade: C+

ARIZONA CARDINALS (1-8)

With the season already slipping away, the return of starting quarterback Kyler Murray at least gives Cardinals fans something to be optimistic about.

There are still enough weapons on this offence to be sneaky good, led by Marquise Brown while talented rookie receiver Michael Wilson and second-year tight end Trey McBride have shown flashes.

Running back James Conner, meanwhile, is closing in on a return from injury.

For Murray, the big question mark is how much he will be able to run as he looks to regain his confidence after a torn ACL ended his season last year.

Murray’s scrambling made him one of the NFL’s most elusive quarterbacks but if he is unable to rediscover his potential soon enough it could have the Cardinals questioning going in another direction next season.

Of course, Murray signed a five-year, $230.5 million contract in 2022 so moving on from him would have its challenges but the next few months will help Arizona figure out if that is necessary.

It is hard not to give the Cardinals a very low grade, although it is not a complete failure given it was widely expected that they would struggle at least until Murray got back.

Grade: E

NFC NORTH

DETROIT LIONS (6-2)

This seems like one of the more complete teams in the NFL right now, with the Lions on track for their first playoffs appearance since 2016.

But how far can they go?

That is the biggest question hanging over Detroit right now. As good as the Lions have been, the 38-6 blowout loss to the Ravens showed they still may have a long way to go before competing with the best of the best.

Detroit has done what it has needed to do against lesser opponents and have a relatively soft run to end the year too, although a Week 17 test against Dallas should be telling.

For the time being though Jared Goff continues to prove he is more than a bridge quarterback while Jahmyr Gibbs’ emergence in David Montgomery’s absence gives Detroit one of the most lethal one-two punches in the league.

Grade: B+

MINNESOTA VIKINGS (5-4)

After all the fortune the Vikings had last year winning a host of close-score games it seems like the football gods have really turned on Minnesota this season.

No Justin Jefferson for four weeks and counting. No Kirk Cousins for the rest of the year.

That’s the team’s two most important players — gone. Jefferson thankfully is on the path back after returning to training in limited fashion on Wednesday.

But Cousins won’t be back.

The Vikings had been one of the most pass-heavy offences in football with Cousins at the helm and now have to improvise with new addition Josh Dobbs making the plays.

That may not be as challenging a task as it seems though if Dobbs’ first-up performance in the win over the Falcons is anything to go by.

Dobbs is not the accurate passer that Cousins is and so there will be some down weeks but his rushing ability gives the Vikings offence an extra dimension.

That will prove particularly important after Cam Akers went down with a torn Achilles on the weekend, leaving the inefficient Alexander Mattison and Ty Chandler in the running back room.

Either way, if the Vikings can clean up the turnovers that plagued them early in the season they can still keep winning more games than they lose, especially with a quality coach like Kevin O’Connell.

Grade: B-

GREEN BAY PACKERS (3-5)

The post Aaron Rodgers experience has been chaotic to say the least.

That’s what you get with a young quarterback in Jordan Love who had limited experience before this season playing with an equally inexperienced receiving corps.

In fact, according to ESPN, Green Bay entered the season with the second-youngest corps of wide receivers and tight ends in NFL history dating back to 1990, only behind the 2017 Browns.

That Browns team went 0-17. This Packers outfit isn’t that bad, but the growing pains will continue.

Love has a completion percentage of just 59.6 per cent and has particularly struggled with the deep ball, meaning breakout rookie Christian Watson has been a non-factor in his second season.

Add in injuries to running back Aaron Jones and veteran left tackle David Bakhtiari and this season was never going to amount to much in the first place.

If anything, it will just continue to serve as a chance for Green Bay to work out if Love is the franchise’s quarterback of the future or if the void left behind by Rodgers will linger that little bit longer.

The Packers could’ve been graded lower but given injuries and the inexperience on offence, they have largely lived up to expectations.

Grade: C

CHICAGO BEARS (2-7)

Currently owning the second and third overall picks in the draft, Chicago is in prime position to draft a quarterback next year. But will it be necessary?

That is the question the Bears need to have the answer to before the end of the season, although Justin Fields’ dislocated right thumb has thrown a spanner in the works.

It may make it even harder to judge Fields’ performances and how much of a hindrance that injury will be to his passing, which remained a work in progress before he went down in Week 6.

Fields had his best game of the season alongside star wide receiver DJ Moore against a beatable Commanders defence but had plenty of forgettable moments earlier in the year too.

If the Bears were on the clock today there is no doubting they would be taking a quarterback given Fields’ mixed performances so far this season.

Grade: C-

NFC SOUTH

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (5-4)

The Saints have a similar problem to the Jets.

Sure, the offence is definitely not as bad and can still help them win games but the secondary is the biggest reason New Orleans is able to consistently stay competitive right now.

Otherwise, the offence still remains a work in progress with Derek Carr and Chris Olave struggling to develop chemistry while the running game hasn’t produced much either.

Carr can dump the ball off to Kamara all he wants but at some point there needs to be a more explosive element to this Saints offence, something which speedy receiver Rashid Shaheed has provided at times but he isn’t a consistent target earner anyway.

Obviously Taysom Hill is automatic in the red zone too but unlocking Olave will be the key to New Orleans realising its full potential on offence along with improved offensive line play.

The Saints get a C+ just due to the fact they have had a relatively soft draw.

Grade: C+

ATLANTA FALCONS (4-5)

It is not just Fantasy Football managers that hate Arthur Smith.

At this point, it’s just anyone who hates seeing good talent being wasted and that’s what is happening right now with Bijan Robinson.

The fact Smith spent over five minutes explaining why Robinson isn’t being used in the red zone as much as some people may like says it all.

Sometimes it is as simple as using your best player more.

Smith though at this point seems to be a serial overthinker, someone who is more enthusiastic about finding the most creative — and complicated — way to score points.

Anyway, maybe Smith’s usage of Robinson is a ploy to distract from the team’s poor quarterback play and the overall uncertainty at the position.

Desmond Ridder showed flashes but was turnover prone and replaced by Taylor Heinecke, a solid back-up but one with a 16.9 per cent off-target rate.

In other words, neither seems to be the answer and at the moment the Falcons seem to be a team with a lot of talent but no clear idea on how to use it or get the most out of it.

Grade: C

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (3-5)

Tampa Bay was one of the surprising early success stories, starting the season at 3-1 before the Week 5 bye.

Since then though it has all gone downhill, with the Bucs dropping four-straight games.

The offence was always expected to have its ups and downs with Baker Mayfield at quarterback but the defence, which looked good early, has taken a big step backwards recently.

The running game also continues to be an issue, with Tampa Bay averaging the fewest yards per carry in the NFL (3.1), although the Bucs have somewhat worked around that problem by getting Rachaad White more involved in the short passing game.

The Bucs probably could have benefited from making some moves at the trade deadline to position themselves with more assets to build towards the future but instead look to be settling for mediocrity.

Grade: C

CAROLINA PANTHERS (1-7)

Sure, they got a win over C.J. Stroud and the Texans but watching the former Ohio State quarterback carve up the Buccaneers last week must have been painful viewing.

Especially when you consider what Bryce Young dished up against the Colts.

Although as poor as Young played in that loss, it is hard to really get a sense for how good he can be at the NFL level until he gets more talent around him.

The Panthers were reportedly interested in trading for a true No. 1 receiver before the deadline and that should remain a priority for 2024, with Tee Higgins one of the more talented names set to hit free agency.

The running back room also needs a shake-up given Miles Sanders’ struggles, although the four-year, $25.4 million contract he signed with the Panthers makes things tricky.

Of course it doesn’t stop there, with the offensive line also struggling to protect Young, who has been sacked 26 times.

Put simply, the quarterback play is just the start of Carolina’s problems. Unfortunately, having traded up to take Young in the first place, the Panthers don’t have a first-round pick to work with in next year’s draft.

Grade: E