Monday Morning Thoughts: Bryce Young Isn't the Problem
It hasn't been pretty and for the most part, it's been rather hard to watch.
Five games into the Frank Reich era and the Carolina Panthers look like they took twelve steps back from where they were to begin the season a year ago. Notice how I said the beginning of last season, not the end. That's more like 1,200 steps backward.
We all saw the lack of depth this team had in the summer and the front office failed to address it. I understand there's only so much you can do in one offseason and even if they had made a couple of extra moves to "beef up" the roster, I'm not sure it would have made that much of a difference.
This team is without two of its starting offensive linemen and is running a heavy zone run game scheme which is not what led to their success down the stretch in 2022. As offensive coordinator, Thomas Brown said last week, "It's a convenient excuse". He's not wrong, but we can't ignore the fact that it is a part of why this running game isn't as effective as it was a year ago, in addition to the injuries.
But now, what I'm really here for...
I'm stunned at the number of folks on social media placing the blame on Bryce Young, already deeming him a "bust". I can assure you the Panthers don't have a quarterback problem. They have a personnel and coaching problem. Can't it be worked out? Yes, absolutely. It just takes time. This coaching staff is too good not to figure their end of it out. It's about them gaining experience together, understanding what the perfect blend of their offensive and defense philosophies is, and putting that formula to use.
When you have receivers that consistently struggle to win one-on-one matchups, have a difficult time establishing the run game, and allow pressure on a regular basis, it's hard for any quarterback to execute. So let's stop comparing Young to C.J. Stroud. And this is coming from a guy who had Stroud as the No. 1 quarterback in the 2023 draft class. If Stroud were on this roster, it would be the same story. He doesn't fix any of the problems at the receiver position, in the run game, or up front in protection.
My only knock on Young entering the NFL was his size. Could he take the beating? Would he be able to scan the field well? Would there be balls batted down at the line of scrimmage every week? Through his first four starts, we haven't once discussed his size because it's not been an issue. It's been everything else from execution, pre-snap responsibilities, health, you name it. Could there be something the coaching staff could do to present a more clear picture for Young? Yes. Even Steve Smith Sr. mentioned this on one of his latest episodes.
I'm not here to excuse the poor start to the season because quite frankly, there's no reason this team should be as bad as they are. But as far as the quarterback goes, I will refrain from judging Young as a franchise guy until he has the proper pieces around him. It's not like he doesn't belong. He's pieced together some drives where you're like, "Ah yes, there's why he was the number one overall pick."
The talent, the IQ, and the overall makeup are there for Young to be the guy to lead the Panthers back to its winning ways. Let's give the kid some time to learn, grow, and most importantly get some darn help.
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