Analysis
7/20/23
5 min read
Panthers, Colts Have Difficult Task Preparing Young, Richardson
Developing a young quarterback is perhaps the most valued trait owners look for when hiring a new head coach. Nine of the past 15 NFL head coaching hires have a primary background in offense.
Though the NFL was once a “defense wins championship” league — and certainly some would argue it still is — no one can argue about what is the most important position on the field in modern football: the quarterback.
Shaping Bryce Young
With the importance of quarterback development in mind, Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper hired former NFL quarterback Frank Reich to lead his organization.
Thanks to a blockbuster trade, Carolina acquired the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. They selected former Alabama quarterback Bryce Young, intending to build their future around him.
Like Tepper, Reich also sought intelligent, invested coaches to helm his young quarterback’s development. One of the people he turned to is former NFL head coach Jim Caldwell.
In a roundtable discussion during the 2022 NFL season, Caldwell discussed his approach to working with a young quarterback — similar to the role he’ll play in mentoring Young.
“Every place I've gone to coach a quarterback that I hadn't dealt with before, I look at every single throw that they've ever made in their entire career,” Caldwell told a group of fellow coaches, executives and players. “If I can find college film where I can watch every one of his throws in his college career, I watch them, and I catalog them.”
Caldwell will spend the 2023 NFL season as a senior offensive assistant for the Panthers and could bring this exact brand of commitment and preparation with him.
“The other thing that I do is, I have this series of drills that I use that I believe makes a huge difference just in terms of fundamental effectiveness in the pocket, outside of the pocket, making throws under duress where the uncomfortable becomes comfortable,” Caldwell said about his process with young quarterbacks.
Caldwell’s ability to succeed with Young could be a major determining factor in the Panthers’ chances to field a competitive squad in 2023.
Big Decision in Indy
Young won’t be the only rookie quarterback facing scrutiny in 2023. Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson was similarly brought in with the hope of building a powerhouse around him, and team leadership seems committed to ensuring he succeeds.
Team owner Jim Irsay and general manager Chris Ballard chose former Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen as their next head coach, banking on his experience mentoring the Eagles' young star Jalen Hurts.
Hurts sat for most of his rookie season behind starter Carson Wentz — a formula teams often adopt when selecting a quarterback they don’t feel is quite ready for the speed or nuance of the professional game.
Though experts disagree on the best method for developing a young quarterback, Charles Davis, an analyst for The 33rd Team, was quite comfortable in his assessment of Steichen’s potential strategy.
“He’s getting [Richardson] ready to play,” Davis told his peers during a roundtable discussion earlier this offseason. “I think they are going to try to have him ready for Game 1, and if it’s not Game 1, it won’t be long thereafter. They want him to play as fast as possible.”
Though Davis was confident the Colts would want Richardson on the field early, his confidence in Richardson’s ability to perform at a high level off the bat was far less firm.
“I don’t know that [Richardson] will be totally ready,” Davis said. “At first [Steichen] is going to try to sprinkle him in a little, see if he can get his feet wet and go.”
The NFL can be unforgiving to young quarterbacks, as opposing defenses feast on their weaknesses and deny them anything that might let them find a rhythm.
“It’s the NFL. [Richardson] is going to have some stuff that doesn’t go quite right,” Davis added. “They are going to have to find out what the psyche is and how you coach him.”
Final Thoughts
Richardson and Young will be eager to put their mark on the league. But quarterback development is an inexact science and improvement can be inconsistent and non-linear.
Even rookie quarterbacks who exploded onto the scene, like Cam Newton and Robert Griffin III, experienced growing pains.
Identifying those growing pains and game-planning to minimize their impact will be key for both Reich and Steichen as they attempt to build winning programs in the ashes of their predecessors' efforts.
