The Carolina Panthers spent a small fortune to trade up for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft, selecting Alabama quarterback Bryce Young as their new franchise quarterback.
While the Panthers watched C.J. Stroud, the quarterback picked No. 2 overall by the Houston Texans, win Rookie of the Year with one of the best seasons we've ever seen from a rookie quarterback in the NFL, they were forced to endure a 2023 campaign full of struggles for Young.
As Young heads into his second NFL season, his ability to live up to the expectations of his draft slot will rest on the improvement of his supporting cast, but he also bears some responsibility for his own development.
“Compared to C.J. Stroud, Bryce Young had a really tough rookie season," a rival scout told Athlon Sports for this year's NFL preview magazine , on sale at newsstands now. "Some of that is from his bad circumstances and supporting cast. Some of that stemmed from his lack of height and batted passes and being unable to stay up when he faced contact. Getting Young going is Job No. 1 for new head coach Dave Canales."
Canales takes over as head coach after just one season as the offensive coordinator for the division-rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers, having spent more than a decade as an assistant under Pete Carroll in Seattle. He'll have to prove he can have similar success with Young as he did with Baker Mayfield last year, and for that to happen, he'll have to get more out of what's around Young on his side of the ball.
"Adam Thielen keeps creating separation with slick routes and reliable hands for a ton of first downs," the scout said about the Carolina offense. "Hard to fathom how bad this offense would be without him. ... The Ikem Ekwonu pick is looking like a major miss. He struggles out there, especially in one-on-one pass blocking situations. ... Like the Xavier Legette pick. He’s got great speed and leaping ability. That should help Young out with some better odds on 50-50 balls. ... This isn’t a good offensive line. That’s hard to fix."
On defense, the Panthers still have a cornerstone player up front, and a couple of role players who could have a big impact. That said, there are still big questions to answer throughout the rest of the unit.
"Derrick Brown getting the big deal instead of Brian Burns is kind of a head-scratcher decision," the scout said. "Most teams would pay the edge rusher if it’s an either-or kind of deal. ... Josey Jewell is one of the grittiest inside ’backers around. ... Jadeveon Clowney still has some juice. Now, he gets to play for his hometown team. ... They really need a healthy season from Jaycee Horn.”
Canales and company have their work cut out for them as they hope to get the best out of Young, and finally start to claw their way out of the NFL basement.
Related: Carolina Panthers 2024 NFL Season Preview: Bryce Young Needs to Step Up
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