Bryce Young came into the 2023 NFL season riding high as the first overall pick. When the Carolina Panthers selected Young first overall, he obviously wasn’t expected to turn the franchise over by himself. But last season was a bit of a disappointment for the former Alabama star. New head coach Dave Canales was brought in to help cure the Panthers and their offensive woes. Does that include fixing Bryce Young?
Not quite. Canales made it abundantly clear that he plans to roll out with the former Crimson Tide quarterback in 2024 and beyond.
Young, who the Panthers picked over Houston Texans rookie sensation C.J. Stroud, threw for 2,877 yards in the 2023 season. Young added 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions and completed under 60 percent of his passes. Although those numbers were meager, there’s no suggestion that the team will do anything except try to better him.
Canales spoke to the media during the NFL Scouting Combine out in Indianapolis, Indiana, on Tuesday. Canales said, according to reporter Sheena Quick, among other things that there’s “no plan” to fix Young.
“No plan to fix Bryce Young. I think for me it’s about building an offense that we can be proud of,” Canales said. “Something that is tough, that is smart, that takes care of the football, number one. We gotta take care of explosives, and then of course we have to minimize damage with exotic pressures and things like that.”
More from Canales:
“So I think elevating the whole group and asking Bryce to do his part. Without getting too into the specifics of it, but I’ve had a chance to really dive into some film since the last time we’ve talked. I have a specific plan. Can’t wait to put that into play. But again, we’re not talking about a guy that there’s a big fix for, really. He’s a really accurate player, a really smart player. He’s aware of what’s happening, and we gotta build the whole thing around him. The whole offense around him. Something that we can really say, ‘This is our identity.'”
Dave Canales says there’s no plan to “fix” Bryce Young. Instead, they seek to build an offense around him that has an identity. #Panthers pic.twitter.com/Z027Z0mZhK
— Sheena Quick (@Sheena_Marie3) February 27, 2024
The NFL world had plenty to say about these comments.
The Bryce Young buying window is going to close soon https://t.co/NlcPDm7HgF
— Joel Verzosa, PT, DPT (@jverzosa2) February 27, 2024
amazing answer
tired of reporters asking slick ass questions about Bryce when they know damn well he’s a rookie that played in a horrible environment https://t.co/701WkCxok6
— sports enthusiast 🫥 (@imspenser_6) February 27, 2024
Russell Wilson had his best seasons while he was his position coach
Geno Smith had the best season of his career and dropped off immediately after he left
Baker had a resurgence with him as OC
This might be an underrated hire https://t.co/oc91F3FEfF
— ‘06 Kobe (@Chrislaflare) February 27, 2024
I love how he never questions, or down play Bryce, LEGIT SINCE high school, and even Saban said it, once you let Bryce be Bryce, magic happens https://t.co/cA6YWXVR3d
— De’Vonte Barber (@vettecitykennel) February 27, 2024
This 🔥 Build around the QB that you invested so much for. It’s not some foreign concept, Canales gets it 💯 https://t.co/s5xroaDxj9
— Brycesanity! (@NotTheRealBY9) February 27, 2024
Again, a whole lotta reason why Baker looked like ass with us but better with the Bucs is because the coaches PLAYED TO HIS STRENGTHS.
I'm confident DC will get the most outta him. https://t.co/J12ZEchqVF
— TJ (@tjgeogladden) February 27, 2024
About Chris Novak
Chris Novak has been talking and writing about sports ever since he can remember. Previously, Novak wrote for and managed sites in the SB Nation network for nearly a decade from 2013-2022