What were some critical observations from Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young's preseason performance against the Detroit Lions?
The Carolina Panthers might not have come away with a morale-boosting win over the Detroit Lions to finish their preseason engagements, but quarterback Bryce Young's performance was an undoubted positive. There is some genuine momentum building around the No. 1 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft, who has all the makings of a franchise player at the position based on his limited sample size throughout warmups.
Carolina gave Young two series' experience versus the Lions, which is in keeping with what we've seen throughout the Panthers' three preseason contests. The consistency is right where it needs to be and in terms of execution, Friday's game saw far more efficiency attached.
This whets the appetite further about what Young might be able to accomplish heading into Week 1 at the Atlanta Falcons. He'll play from the outset and the offensive scheme will finally open up, so hopes couldn't be much higher with preseason commitments mercifully at an end.
With this in mind, here are three critical observations from Young's performance against the Lions at Bank of America Stadium.
Bryce Young was polished
Bryce Young looks like a guy that's been part of an NFL roster for years. Everything about the way he conducts himself and goes about his business on the field screams seasoned veteran rather than rookie, which was evident once again versus the Detroit Lions to end his preseason on a high.
Young is so polished on tape, that it's hard to pick any real flaws besides durability and elite-level arm strength. The way he effortlessly goes through progressions and manipulates the pocket are sights to behold, so the Carolina Panthers can relax safe in the knowledge they made the right call from atop the draft.
Bryce Young's ability to maneuver
There was some improvement where the Carolina Panthers' offensive line was concerned against the Detroit Lions. That said, Bryce Young still had to have his wits about him in pursuit of evading pressure when it inevitably arrived.
Young didn't get the chance to use his athleticism much at Alabama. Their offensive line is always one of college football's best, leaving the signal-caller free to go through progressions almost effortlessly with little chance of taking a big hit along the way.
That won't be the case at the pro level. Carolina's protection is decent, but even the best lines succumb to pressure on occasions and this is exactly why the escapability demonstrated by the Heisman Trophy winner on Friday night was so encouraging.
There were a couple of examples of Young putting his legs to good use, especially on a crucial third down when nothing was available past the chains. The sliding technique needs some work, but this can be refined over time by someone who didn't do a lot of scrambling at the collegiate level.
In an ideal world, Young won't have to rely on this area of his game too much. Running with the football is an exciting trait for any quarterback from a fan perspective, but it's also worth remembering that Young isn't the size of Cam Newton and Lamar Jackson - two of the greatest running signal-callers in league history.
Bryce Young's red-zone conviction
One thing that had been missing from Bryce Young's performances throughout the preseason was points. Leading a scoring drive was arguably his biggest remaining objective before attention turned to a competitive NFL debut at the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1.
Thankfully, Young ticked off this box in a comfortable fashion. He began the game by taking the Carolina Panthers downfield before settling for a field goal that was converted by the returning Eddy Pineiro - swiftly followed by the first touchdown drive of his professional career.
Young delivered an absolute dart to Adam Thielen, who brought it in effortlessly as expected for the score. This was enough for Frank Reich to call it a night with the new face of the franchise, who ended the game with a 103.8 passer rating as a result of his outstanding efforts.
This was another step in the right direction for Young, who didn't put the ball in harm's way at any stage during his preseason involvement. There's a lot of hard work ahead and competitive games will see a few bumps in the road, but the Panthers might have something special on their hands and everyone is starting to recognize it.
Young knows that preseason means nothing and he's got to prove himself all over again against professionals who'd love nothing more than to make the signal-caller look foolish. This mindset is precisely what the Panthers need to start trending in the right direction at last.