Carolina Panthers Pro Football Hall of Fame watch

The Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2023 will be inducted Aug. 5. Here are members of the 2023 Panthers who could join the immortals in Canton someday.

Fringe Hall of Famers

Jim Caldwell, senior assistant: Widely regarded in league circles, Caldwell is one of the more underappreciated coaches of the 2000s. He went 62-50 in seven seasons as a head coach — three in Indianapolis (2009-11) and four in Detroit (2014-17) — and has two Super Bowl wins as an assistant coach. The Colts won Super Bowl XLI in 2007 with Caldwell as assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach. In 2012 — his first season in Baltimore — the Ravens won Super Bowl XLVII with Caldwell serving as quarterbacks coach and interim offensive coordinator.

Caldwell worked closely with Super Bowl-winning QBs Peyton Manning, Joe Flacco and Matthew Stafford, and Panthers head coach Frank Reich hired him as a senior assistant this offseason. Should Carolina QB Bryce Young develop into a franchise quarterback, Caldwell will have played a role in the career arcs of four greats, something that shouldn't be ignored.

Dom Capers, senior defensive assistant: Capers has 24 seasons of coaching under his belt, primarily as a defensive coordinator but also as a senior defensive assistant for five different franchises during the past five years (2019-23). He has nine top-10 scoring defenses as both a coordinator and head coach, including the league's top-scoring defense with Jacksonville in 1999. Capers was also the first head coach in Panthers and Texans franchise history, a sign of the respect he has in the league. 

Young players who could develop into HOFers

Brian Burns, defensive end: Burns has 38 sacks through his first four seasons, one fewer than future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald had during his first four seasons. Burns' talent is no secret around the league, with the Rams — Donald's team — reportedly offering the Panthers two first-round picks and a second-rounder in a trade last year. Carolina rebuffed that offer, illustrating the impact the organization believes Burns can have in the seasons to come.

Bryce Young, quarterback: The Panthers have done little to squash the hype surrounding Young, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

"Bryce made a great impression," Reich said after his first practice, per NFL.com. "Obviously, mentally and physically, [he] looked the part in every way. Threw the ball exceedingly well...Really had a firm grasp on everything we asked."

Any number of potential career outcomes are possible for Young, from being a 15-year starter to being out of the league by the end of his rookie contract. Carolina traded up to draft him with the hope that Young will save the bust for Canton.