Analysis

10/5/23

5 min read

Don't Worry About Bryce Young's Start with Carolina Panthers

By Rick Spielman

Award-Winning NFL Executive

Quarterback Bryce Young, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, has had his struggles early in the season for the Carolina Panthers.

C.J. Stroud, taken with the next selection, has come out of the gate fast for the Houston Texans and, in my opinion, is the leader in the clubhouse for Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Anthony Richardson, the fourth overall pick by the Indianapolis Colts, has had his ups and downs but has made a statement with his unique athletic ability and extremely strong arm.

Should Carolina be worried it took the wrong quarterback in this year’s draft?

Let's start by revisiting the scouting report on Young after his junior season at Alabama.

Bryce Young's Scouting Report at Alabama

Young was a two-year starting quarterback for the Crimson Tide.

He lacks the ideal size you want for the position, but he is a good athlete. Young has command of the offense, and his FBI (Football Intelligence) shows up on the tape. He thrives when the bright lights come on in big games.

What makes him unique is his playmaking ability when the game is on the line. He plays with poise and patience. Young can feel the rush and will step up in the pocket and buy a second chance.

At times, he will hold on to the ball and look for the big play instead of checking down to the open man. Young has a knack for throwing and finding open windows.

For his lack of height (5-foot-10), he rarely gets balls batted at the line of scrimmage. His arm strength is good but not elite. He shows he can make off-schedule throws and changes his arm angle on release. Although he can make plays with his feet, he will keep his eyes downfield and look to throw first.

Young has good accuracy at all levels of the field. He took some chances and threw in tight windows he could get away with in college but won't get away with in the NFL. His interceptions are usually forced throws into coverage downfield when he is trying to make a play.

He will throw it up for grabs when under pressure instead of throwing it away and living for another down. Durability is a concern that comes with his size.

Young is a very talented quarterback who projected as a rookie starter.

Bryce Young Carolina Panthers

Young's First Four NFL Games

The best way to describe his play early in the season is learning on the go.

Young had a rough game vs. the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1 but improved against the New Orleans Saints in Week 2. He missed the Seattle Seahawks game in Week 3 due to an ankle injury but had his best game to date against the Minnesota Vikings last week.

He throws predominantly from the shotgun. Young takes a lot of hits and doesn’t look as comfortable in the pocket as he did in college. He is finding out the hard way he has less time to stand in an NFL pocket and let wide receivers come open.

Young also makes plays with his legs and shows his athleticism when moving in the pocket. For a short quarterback, he does not get balls batted down at the line of scrimmage. He has a knack for finding open windows and throwing lanes.

When Young is in rhythm, he is an accurate thrower at the short and intermediate levels, and he gets the ball out on time. He is doing a better job using his eyes to move safeties and getting through his progressions. Young threw two interceptions against the Falcons when Jessie Bates got a jump on his throws across the middle of the field. Young has not thrown an interception since that opening game.

Areas of Concern

One area Young needs to improve is his deep ball accuracy, which was not a strength in college.

Another area of concern is his ball security. The Saints stripped him of the ball in the red zone during the first half. That fumble took three points off the board.

This continued to be a problem during the third quarter against the Vikings. Young again was stripped, and the Vikings returned the fumble for a touchdown that got them back in the game.

Both of those fumbles were critical mistakes that had a major impact on the outcome of those games. However, he seems to learn from his mistakes which will help him continue to grow as a legitimate starting quarterback.

Bottom Line on Bryce Young

One thing I know about Young is he is one of the most competitive players I have ever interviewed. Don’t mistake his quiet demeanor for how much he wants to succeed and win. He has a high football IQ and has a natural feel for the position.

He is going through some growing pains, but it will pay in the long run for him and the Panthers.

Rick Spielman is a former general manager of the Dolphins and Vikings and winner of the NFL Executive of the Year award by Pro Football Weekly in 2017. Follow him on Twitter @spielman_rick

Tags: Atlanta Falcons, Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers See More

Rick Spielman

Award-Winning NFL Executive

Rick Spielman is a former NFL executive for the Lions, Bears, Dolphins and Vikings. He was the winner of the NFL Executive of the Year award by Pro Football Weekly in 2017.

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