5 major observations from Bryce Young's performance vs. the Saints in Week 9

Bryce Young suited up as the Carolina Panthers starting quarterback for a second-straight week against the New Orleans Saints. The signal-caller showed some encouraging signs at the Denver Broncos despite head coach Dave Canales' apprehensive play-calling for the most part. However, it remains to be seen whether the No. 1 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft can hang on to the gig for much longer.

Canales went with Young thanks in no small part to his constant desire to protect veteran Andy Dalton. The 37-year-old wanted to play and expects to be under center in Week 10 against the New York Giants in Germany. It was up to the Heisman Trophy winner to perform accordingly and keep him on the sidelines.

This wasn't an ideal situation for Young, especially considering Adam Thielen was out through injury and Diontae Johnson got traded to the Baltimore Ravens. The Alabama product was relying heavily on unproven yet promising pass-catchers to accumulate momentum versus a Saints secondary missing some established figures.

All eyes were on Young, although trade talk surrounding the player seems to be diminishing. As it turned out, the quarterback managed to attain only his third victory as an NFL professional with a confidence-boosting success versus their fierce division adversaries.

With this in mind, here are five major observations from Young's performance in Week 9 at Bank of America Stadium.

Major observations from Bryce Young's performance vs. the Saints

Bryce Young's footwork

One of the biggest criticisms surrounding second-year quarterback Bryce Young throughout his disastrous first season centered on his indifferent footwork. This was something head coach Dave Canales attempted to fix throughout the summer to no avail. It's early days in his second chance to forge a productive career for himself, but taking a step back seems to have improved this critical area of his game.

The Carolina Panthers saw better pocket navigation from Young against the New Orleans Saints. He was comfortable despite being under pressure. He got himself into a nice throwing base, planting his feet and delivering the football with conviction more often than not.

To say this is a positive development regarding Young's growth would be a massive understatement.

Things seem to be slowing down for the beleaguered quarterback. His lower body is aligned with his upper half more these days. Seeing how this grows further in the coming weeks is crucial, but it represents an outstanding foundation from which to build at the best possible time.