Overview
- Canales confirmed Sunday that Young and other first‑team players are scheduled to play roughly 10 to 20 snaps in the preseason game at Buffalo as a controlled live‑rep evaluation.
- Carolina opened the preseason by sitting Young and most starters in the Hall of Fame Game so backups could be evaluated and roster spots could be decided.
- Rookie Haynes King and veteran Kenny Pickett handled quarterback work in Canton, with King throwing the game‑winning touchdown in a 33‑30 win that highlighted the backups’ value.
- Young enters the 2026 season under team control through 2027 after the Panthers exercised his fifth‑year option, and his 2025 breakout season raised expectations for a tuned, not trialed, starter.
- The short snap plan gives coaches a chance to test timing, substitutions and situational play without heavy exposure, and the staff may adjust on game day based on how the first‑team offense performs.