It looks like new Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales doesn’t think quarterback Bryce Young was that bad in his rookie season and that the offense around him needs to be better and play smarter.
In the 2023-24 NFL season one rookie quarterback took the league by storm. Unfortunately for the Carolina Panthers, it was not the top overall pick Bryce Young. While CJ Stroud led the Houston Texans to a 10-7 record and the AFC South title, the former Alabama star struggled mightily in his first season in the NFL.
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Under his guidance as the leader of the offense, Carolina posted a league-worst 2-15 record. He started in 16 games but was 20th in passing yards, and was near the bottom of the league in completion percentage, passer rating, and quarterback rating. He threw just 11 touchdowns to 10 interceptions on the season.
While rookie QBs are expected to have a harsh learning curve as starters in year one, Young was clearly a big part of the problem for the Carolina Panthers offense last season. However, new head coach Dave Canales surprisingly doesn’t see it that way.
Carolina Panthers head coach shockingly absolves Bryce Young of the ills on offense last season
During a media scrum on day one of the NFL Combine the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator was asked about “fixing” Bryce Young and he believes there is nothing to fix. Instead, the parts around him need to be better.
“No plan to fix Bryce Young,” Canales said. “I think for me it’s about building an offense we can be proud of. Something that is tough, that is smart, that takes care of the football No. 1. We’ve got to create more explosiveness. And we have to minimize damage with exotic pressures and things like that.
“I just think elevating the whole group and really asking Bryce to do his part … We’re not talking about a guy there’s a big fix for,” he continued, “You’re really looking at an accurate player. A really smart player. He’s aware of what’s happening and we have to build the whole offense around him.”
The Panthers brought in an offensive-minded head coach in Frank Reich last season and signed three former Pro Bowlers to give the young QB proven veteran skills players on offense last season. Yet, the unit was nonetheless disastrous in 2023-24. Canales has a lot of work to do then if he believes Young was not the problem last season.