CHARLOTTE — On the surface, football-wise, this portion of voluntary offseason workouts aren't super intensive. Players aren't on the football field every day, there isn't a football involved.

But with the majority of the roster walking through the door this week, the 2025 Panthers have already started to form.

"Yeah, it is voluntary, but we love being here," quarterback Bryce Young said Wednesday. "For us, having the participation that we do have, I think that speaks volumes to what we're working on building here. Having the guys back and having the buy-in that we do, I'm grateful for that.

"I'm proud to be a part of that, so, again, it's a process we know that we have work to do, but that's the mindset and attitude of the entire team."

Being completely focused on the first week of workouts means not paying as much attention to the other big event happening this week: the NFL Draft. The Panthers hold the No. 8 overall pick and nine overall picks, including eight in the first five rounds. The possibilities for who Carolina could draft are endless, with deep classes at edge rusher, receiver, and safety. But Young isn't thinking about the options.

"(It's) kind of wait to to see, obviously," Young said. "The front office and coaching staff, they handle all the draft stuff, so for us, until we know who those guys are that are coming in—you know, you want to learn your teammates and offensive guys as a quarterback and as a leader, you want to learn them and, and learn whoever it is—but you know, again we don't know who that is. Right now, it's just work as usual, and then, you know, when there's something to look at or try to learn, we'll try to do that."

While the quarterback might not be thinking much of the draft now, it was just two years ago the former Heisman winner was the No. 1 overall pick out of Alabama. He came to Carolina with the weight of a franchise placed on his shoulders.

After a rookie season that showed signs of strain, Young experienced a resurgence in 2024. From Week 8 until the end of last season, Young went 197-319 (61.8 percent) for 2,104 yards, with 15 touchdown passes and six interceptions (88.9 passer rating). He also had game-tying or game-winning drives in six of the final nine games.

Coach Dave Canales has credited Young over and over for staying consistent through the entire process, from the Week 1 shellacking from the Saints to the quarterback's benching after Week 2, to being thrust back into the starting role after Andy Dalton's car wreck, to retaking hold of the starting job at that point and refusing to let it go.

That consistency was key, and it's Young's biggest piece of advice to anyone about to be drafted in the first round tomorrow night.

"Yeah, just to be yourself, you know, obviously, you want to buy in and learn at the next level, but also, you know, all the guys that made it this far, it's for a reason," Young offered.

"So just embracing that, being yourself, and coming in, and obviously you want to be a part of the system wherever it may be and do what you're told, but also to hold on to that individuality, hold on to what it is that makes you special that got you here."

Xavier Legette is another example of someone not changing what got them here. The former South Carolina wide receiver was the No. 32 pick overall last year after the Panthers traded late into the first round to grab the big-bodied pass catcher. As a rookie, Legette experienced big moments, viral memes, and humbling lows. While it sometimes changed his approach to practice, the Legette country charm never wavered. It creates a sense of calm that Young already sees in the receiver.

"You could see the focus the entire offseason, you know, he's been here working getting better, and you could just see the comfortability," Young said of Legette. "It's different from someone trying to figure out a new playbook and figure out a new league and field dimensions and split all the little things that the league brings.

"Now you could tell he's comfortable in that; he's confident. The way that he's moving, running around catching the ball, it all looks great, so I'm super excited for him and, as a team, as an offense, we're super excited for him and for the unit."

For the offense as a whole, this week is about taking the first step toward a new season. And that offense may have new pieces by the end of the week. Whoever that guy is, Bryce Young is ready to welcome him into a group that feels established now, with a foundation, a plan, and an identity.

"Now that it's the second year in it, we kind of got the kinks out, started to kind of form an identity a little bit," Young said, "and you know, now it's really, starting and expanding on those details early on, and having those conversations earlier, so that we can have a foundation that's a lot more in-depth now that it's year two in the system."