The Carolina Panthers sacrificed everything ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft to land the No. 1 pick and select Bryce Young. Nine months later, it appears the Panthers’ recklessness could be one of the biggest reasons why Young might ultimately become a draft bust.
Coming into the draft, Young was largely viewed as the top quarterback prospect. While he lacked elite physical tools and would be one of the smallest starting quarterbacks in football, Young’s football IQ, leadership and intangibles drew comparisons to all-time greats. Unfortunately, the 2023 season has demonstrated why a draftee’s landing spot might be the most important outcome that determines the course of their career.
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Let’s dive into the issues that led to Bryce Young having one of the worst rookie seasons in NFL history and examine why the Carolina Panthers are almost entirely to blame for it.
Carolina Panthers foundation imploded on Bryce Young
When the Panthers drafted Young, it initially seemed like a decent situation. After all, this was a quarterback who had a historic S2 Cognitive score with a mind for the game that was compared to NFL offensive coordinators. Not only that, he seemed to have an excellent staff around him to mentor him through the ups and downs of a rookie campaign.
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Only, it became evident in the preseason that both the Panthers’ offensive line and receiving corps weren’t sufficient enough to support a young quarterback. Yet, Young was thrown into the fire and everything since has only further demonstrated that Carolina created a situation that was always going to implode.
Carolina’s failure to protect Bryce Young
| Carolina Panthers offensive line | |
| Pressures Allowed | 201 (31st) |
| Hurries Allowed | 152 (32nd) |
| Pass Blocking Efficiency | 79.4 (29th) |
| Pass-Block Win Rate | 53% (24th) |
| Run-Block Win Rate | 67% (31st) |
Of the Panthers’ offensive linemen, right tackle Taylor Moton (72.3) is the only player to receive a 70-plus PFF grade this season and be graded as a top-25 lineman at their position. Two of the most critical spots – left tackle and center – have allowed a combined 16 sacks and 62 pressures this season, per PFF.
It won’t come as a surprise to see the impact that has had on Young. Entering Week 15, the Panthers’ rookie quarterback faced pressure on 41.1 percent of his dropbacks, second-most among players with 450-plus dropbacks. While Young is one of the most heavily pressured quarterbacks in the NFL, he ranks 18th among his peers in pressure rate responsible for (13.7 percent).
- Bryce Young stats vs pressure: 36.8% completion rate (39th in NFL), 28.8 PFF grade (37th), 38.1 QB rating (36th), 3.5 yards per attempt (39th), 0-3 TD-INT
It would be one thing if a porous offensive line is the only hurdle Young had to overcome, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg in Carolina. By trading away D.J. Moore, the Panthers surrounded Young with a receiving corps that couldn’t get home under normal circumstances and is only worsened by the leaky pass protection.
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Carolina Panthers wide receivers
| Target Separation | Route Win Rate | Yards per Route Run | |
| Adam Thielen | 1.57 (53rd) | 45.9% (53rd) | 1.67 (41st) |
| Jonathan Mingo | 1.36 (78th) | 32.2% (124th) | 0.89 (90th) |
| D.J. Chark Jr | 1.30 (81st) | 37.3% (105th) | 0.97 (87th) |
| Terrace Marshall Jr. | 1.56 (54th) | 41.6% (82nd) | 0.70 (97th) |
It’s one thing to put a rookie quarterback in the perilous position of starting behind a sieve of an offensive line that forces him to make decisions in 2 seconds with hands in his face and defenders warning around him. When that same quarterback’s receivers are incapable of creating any separation from defensive backs, there’s nowhere for Young to throw.
The lack of talent surrounding Young ensured his 2023 campaign in the NFL would be a massive disappointment. Of course, it’s what happened behind the scenes that might make him an NFL Draft bust.
The importance of culture and accountability for a young quarterback
Life was simple for Young with the Alabama Crimson Tide. In his two seasons as the starting quarterback, Young worked directly with offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Bill O’Brien, with everything else flowing through head coach Nick Saban. It’s a clean and simple structure, especially in comparison to the chaotic nature of the Panthers’ organization.
Joseph Person and Dianna Russini of The Athletic captured it perfectly. Carolina’s crowded coaching staff became notorious for backstabbing and leaks to owner David Tepper, creating a ‘Hunger Games’ culture that was the worst-kept secret in the building.
Some coaches would allegedly text Tepper behind head coach Frank Reich’s back. Among the complaints centered on Young’s footwork and the depth of his dropbacks, which Tepper told Reich to correct just days before Thanksgiving. Young also struggled to pick up Reich’s system and the number of offensive coaches in Carolina meant there were far too many different voices, criticisms and teaching in Young’s head.
Football is a mental game and no player in sports carries more mental weight than the quarterback. On top of that, the transition from playing with a college dynasty like Alabama to being thrown into the dysfunctional Panthers’ organization is especially taxing. A league-worst supporting cast, a chaotic environment and bad coaching all culminated in Young having one of the worst rookie seasons in NFL history.
Comparing Bryce Young to recent QB busts
It’s unfair to a quarterback, especially one in a situation like Bryce Young, to label them a draft bust after one season. While C.J. Stroud has proven to be a better player, he too would be struggling to produce in this environment. Unfortunately, Young’s resume still puts him in troubling company.
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| QB Rating | Completion Rate | YPA | TD % – INT % | Sack Rate | Success Rate | |
| Matt Leinart | 74.9 | 56.7% | 6.7 | 2.9 % – 3.2% | 5.3% | 43.2% |
| David Carr | 62.8 | 52.5% | 5.8 | 2% – 3.4% | 14.6% | 34.2% |
| JaMarcus Russell | 73.9 | 53.9% | 6.4 | 3.5% – 2.8% | 7.9% | 37.1% |
| Josh Rosen | 66.7 | 55.2% | 5.8 | 2.8% – 3.6% | 10.3% | 36.3% |
| Bryce Young | 72.2 | 59.4% | 5.3 | 2% – 2% | 10.4% | 35.6% |
The numbers align with the likes of David Carr, Josh Rosen and even Davis Mills. Circumstances are different in every situation, but these quarterbacks demonstrated they couldn’t even show flashes on their own. It’s also apparent in some of Young’s numbers this season.
- Bryce Young vs clean pocket: 86.9 QB rating (36th in NFL), 69 percent completion rate, 9-6 TD-INT, 6.1 yards per attempt, 68.1 PFF grade
Of the 51 eligible quarterbacks meeting the snaps criteria, Young is one of 13 with a sub-70 percent completion rate versus pressure. Of that group, only four (Young, P.J. Walker, Zach Wilson, Joshua Dobbs) have a yards per attempt below 7.0. Young’s 86.9 QB rating from a clean pocket only trails Desmond Ridder (86.8) for the worst among players with 10-plus starts.
Just as alarming, Young leads the NFL in Bad Throw rate (20.8 percent), one of only two quarterbacks who have a 20-plus percent Bad Throw rate in the NFL. While C.J. Stroud (20.2 percent) is also in that group, his On-Target rate (74 percent) towers over Young’s fourth-worst mark (68 percent). The metrics are just as unfavorable, with Young ranked 29th in EPA per play (-0.193) and he’s 23rd in Completion Rate over Expectation (-1.8 percent).
There’s still a chance that Young will turn things around in 2024 with a quality coaching staff around him and competent playmakers who can get open. For now, though, Young is shaping up to be an NFL Draft bust and the Panthers’ organization would be responsible for that wasted talent and promising career.