Bryce Young made some encouraging strides this season. He is not the finished product just yet, but it looks like the Carolina Panthers may have something long-term with the quarterback after a rollercoaster NFL journey so far.
However, the Panthers could now be set to lose the quiet force behind Young's surge after they were blindsided with an interview request nobody saw coming.
Head coach Dave Canales wasn't naive enough to think there wouldn't be alluring glances from elsewhere after Carolina made the postseason. Ejiro Evero has head-coaching interviews scheduled with the Las Vegas Raiders and the Atlanta Falcons. And now, one of the key behind-the-scenes influences on Young could also be set to take his chances elsewhere.
Carolina Panthers could lose Mike Bercovici after Commanders' interview request
According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Washington Commanders have requested permission to interview Mike Bercovici for their vacant quarterbacks coach position under new offensive coordinator David Blough. And getting the chance to link back up with Jayden Daniels might be a difficult proposition to turn down.
"The Commanders have requested to interview Panthers assistant QBs coach Mike Bercovici for their QBs coach position on OC David Blough’s staff. A former QB himself and just 32, Bercovici has played a big role on Carolina’s staff working with Bryce Young. He also crossed paths with Jayden Daniels at Arizona State in 2019."Jordan Schultz
Bercovici is highly regarded within the building after being retained following Frank Reich's firing. He would be older than Blough, the 30-year-old ex-quarterback whom the Commanders deemed a worthy successor to Kliff Kingsbury after his hasty departure from the franchise. This would be a step up for Carolina's assistant coach, and the Panthers cannot block the move.
This is the price of success around the league. One only has to look at how many interview requests have come in for Los Angeles Rams coaches for prominent positions elsewhere to see that. What's important for the Panthers is having a succession plan in place and contingencies ready if or when Bercovici joins the Commanders.
It's hard to imagine a scenario in which Bercovici doesn't end up in Washington. This is an opportunity to work alongside Blough in helping Daniels return to the form that saw him take the league by storm as a rookie. It may also see him enter the offensive coordinator conversation in the not-too-distant future if everything goes well.
Young would no doubt be disappointed to see Bercovici depart, but this is all part of the business. And so long as Canales, offensive coordinator Brad Idzik, and quarterbacks coach Will Harriger are around, the former Alabama sensation should continue to grow entering his fourth season.