What were some critical observations from Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young's performance and influence during early offseason workouts in 2023?
All eyes were on quarterback Bryce Young as he officially began his journey with the Carolina Panthers over a whirlwind last six weeks. The hype reached incredible levels where the No. 1 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft was concerned, but it seemed like water off a duck's back for a player that's always had the spotlight glaring in some capacity.
The Panthers are genuinely convinced that Young can solve their problems under center. This was the primary target after striking a trade with the Chicago Bears and the signal-caller only enhanced their conviction throughout Carolina's strenous pre-draft evaluations.
Young hit the ground running at rookie minicamp, which was encouraging. However, doing the same with established figures when everyone came together for the first time was a much more daunting proposition.
With this in mind, here are three critical observations from Young during Carolina's early offseason workouts.
Bryce Young slotted in seamlessly
Anyone that was worrying about Bryce Young's locker room transition among older players needn't have worried. The former Alabama star's transition was seamless, demonstrating a calm confidence that instantly went down a storm as expected.
This was always going to be the biggest challenge. Young might have been found out from a character standpoint based on Brian Burns' viral comments earlier this week, but that's not a bad thing and could even raise confidence in his ability to lead further.
As Donte Jackson said, there's something different about Young. Winning over those he's going to war with was a relatively comfortable exercise over early off-season workouts.
Bryce Young is ticking every box
Everyone was looking for Bryce Young to put the Carolina Panthers on his back right out of the gate. A lot to ask of a 21-year-old with no NFL experience whatsoever, but it's a test the quarterback has passed with flying colors so far.
Young has set the tone by being the first out to practice every single day. His meticulous preparation allowed the Heisman Trophy winner to take immediate command of the huddle, develop a comprehensive knowledge of the playbook, and deliver the football with supreme conviction consistently.
The Panthers have a gem in Young. His poise, identifying even the tightest throwing lanes, and thriving in red-zone situations came across in the biggest possible way over workouts - something that can hopefully continue into Carolina's training camp and when competitive games begin.
Don't like the polite demeanor fool you, either. Young knows exactly how good he is and has a killer mentality on the field, showing no mercy on opposing defenses by deciphering their coverage in rapid fashion and almost always making the correct read.
Again, there will be tougher tests to come - especially when Sauce Gardner and the New York Jets visit Spartanburg for joint practices. But it's hard to find any flaws in Young's production and the way he's carried himself throughout practices so far.
If this continues, the Panthers might have hit the jackpot at football's most important position.
Bryce Young is embracing the culture
Bryce Young buying in seemed a given considering he came from the prolific pro-pipeline at Alabama. Nick Saban is renowned for getting his college players ready for the next level, so having that professionalism already installed was always going to smooth the quarterback's process once his destination became concrete.
Young has been a revelation thanks to his demeanor, leading-by-example mentality, and soft-spoken conviction that everyone naturally gravitates towards. Based on his comments via Darin Gantt from the team's website, the assistance he's received and the instant connection in terms of mindset across the board is something he's embraced fully.
"My teammates, again, embracing me, pushing me, holding me accountable. We all take responsibility here; it's a great group of guys that all look in the mirror first. We all come together, see what we could have done better, and then we'll talk about it. So, you know, I think it's just being able to build time with this coaching staff and his team and build a connection. You know, this is a family; we've been able to come together. And again, for me being a rookie, this being my first experience, the NFL, I didn't know what it was going to be like. And for this to be what it is, I'm really grateful to be part of this."Bryce Young via Panthers.com
It's been fascinating to see Young flourish so early. The Panthers had no problem whatsoever moving him to No. 1 on the depth chart once he became fully acclimatized, even if there might be some growing pains throughout his rookie campaign that befall even the brightest prospects emerging from the collegiate ranks.
This isn't about immediate success, but rather Young gradually emerging into a worthy successor to Cam Newton the Panthers have been seeking for more than three years.
So far, so good.