It hasn’t been the start to the season that any Panthers fan would have hoped for. After the Bears’ win on Thursday Night Football, Carolina is the only team left that has yet to win a game. It’s a frustrating reality for the franchise, especially considering that they don’t even own their first round pick. With all this in mind, it’s easy to place blame on the rookie quarterback who the pick was traded for. With that being said, Panthers fans shouldn’t even be close to hitting the panic button yet when it comes to Bryce Young.
Rookie Blunders
It’s obvious that Young has been far from perfect so far. He’s made some costly mistakes that have played a big role in the three losses he started in. It’s important to remember that he is a rookie after all. Some of the most prolific quarterbacks in NFL history had horrendous starts to their career, but eventually acclimated to pro football.
It takes time to adjust, especially when being immediately dropped into the starting role in a rapidly changing franchise. The second overall pick may be outperforming his as of now, but they are in very different situations.
Stroud’s Success
The national media buzz surrounding Young has quickly shifted to a narrative that claims the Panthers made a mistake for taking Young over CJ Stroud. It’s not out of the question by any means, but it’s far too early to determine if this is the case. Stroud has been placed in an exciting young offense that features breakout wide receivers. His offensive line has been far better, and the coaching looks more favorable thus far as well.
The Texans have also had easier opponents, which plays a role in why Stroud has looked so much better. Young’s situation feels like the polar opposite, and has made him look like the lesser player three weeks in. Given all the surrounding factors, it’s unlikely Stroud would have looked much better as a Panther thus far.
Offensive Struggles
As all Panthers fans know, the offense surrounding Young hasn’t presented him with the opportunity to succeed thus far. It starts with the line, which has been one of the worst in the league as we near the quarter-mark in the season.
He’s been sacked 11 times, having only played three games. When Young has been given time to throw, the pass-catchers haven’t exactly made life easy. Adam Thielen has been as-advertised, but as a whole they’ve struggled to get open.
This has limited Young’s ability, leading to even more sacks. The combination has resulted in a stagnant offense, which has obviously played a prominent role in their 0-4 record. Even beyond player struggles, the game plan hasn’t been catered towards success either.
Play-Calling Woes
Despite the continued issues, the offensive line doesn’t seem to be the biggest gripe amongst Panthers fans so far. The play-calling has been noticeably lackluster, limiting Young’s ability even more than poor receiver play. He hasn’t been able to air the ball out like Stroud, or many other young quarterbacks around the league. He’s been kept to a comfortable distance for throwing, keeping the offense’s potential very low.
It seems like Head Coach Frank Reich trusted Andy Dalton more, as he was given chances to air out the ball in his week three start. Even if it resulted in more turnovers, most would agree that it’s best to start giving Young the opportunity to show what he’s made of. Alas, the game-plan has been frustrating, and doesn’t look like one that will garner results. Even if Young doesn’t look great so far, he needs to be given in-game opportunities in order to grow.
Bank on Young’s History
It certainly hasn’t been pretty in the NFL so far for Young, but we aren’t far removed from his Alabama days. He’s still the incredible talent that managed to bring the Crimson Tide a Heisman trophy award. His abilities haven’t been tested, and we’ve seen moments where he looks as frustrated with the play-calling as the rest of us.
It’s infinitely too early to say that the Panthers made a bad move, drafted a bust or picked the wrong quarterback. He simply needs time and opportunities in order to regain his incredible collegiate rhythm. It may not be this week, the next one or even this season, but Young still has a great shot at being the next franchise quarterback in Carolina.
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Featured image courtesy of the Carolina Panthers.
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- Source: https://thegamehaus.com/sports/why-panthers-fans-shouldnt-give-up-on-bryce-young/2023/10/07/
