Bryce Young, the first overall selection in the 2023 draft, was not impressive in his debut season. That is not really a hot debate. What may be a hot debate is the ability of Young and the Panthers to turn things around and do it ahead of schedule. Together, they managed to finish dead last in the NFL and did not even have the first overall pick to show from it.
A lot of focus in the NFL shifted pretty quickly over to Houston, where 2nd overall pick C.J. Stroud managed to vault the Texans back to relevancy. The Football Universe has seemingly written off the debate of who is a better talent between the two, but there may be more of a story to tell. Still, at just 22 years old, Young did not take many risks and was quick to hand the ball off instead of taking a shot downfield. What if the former Crimson Tide QB finds his way back to his Alabama form? The results may lead to wins in the Carolinas.
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Statistically, Young did not have the best season, but it does appear he left a lot on the table. Throwing for just 2,877 yards and 11 touchdowns, one would think Young only played a portion of the season. Truth be told, Young started in 16 of the 17 games, but relied heavily on the Panthers’ run game. This year may be different, adding both Diontae Johnson and Xavier Legette to complement Thielen at receiver. They also added Jonathon Brooks, an early round running back out of Texas. Brooks, who did most of his damage on the ground in college, has the ability to help Young in the passing game too.
What do these weapons mean for Young in 2024? At the bare minimum, the Panthers are showing they are willing to give him some tools to work with. What Young can accomplish with those tools, may be ultimately up to him.
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