Dave Canales lifts the lid on Bryce Young's road to redemption mindset

Bryce Young is a man under extreme pressure. Most are willing to give him a pass for his lackluster rookie campaign. The Carolina Panthers failed their quarterback and he suffered some grave consequences along the way.

One could argue that Young's biggest positive from Year 1 of his professional career was that he emerged unscathed behind an offensive line unfit for purpose. Things are looking more promising for the No. 1 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft. Carolina's decision to appoint head coach Dave Canales is a big reason why.

Canales is a renowned developer of struggling quarterbacks. He's reaffirmed his faith in Young on countless occasions this offseason. There's a better structure in place from a coaching standpoint and the supporting cast at other position groups look much improved to further raise optimism.

Carolina Panthers QB Bryce Young is staying calm under extreme pressure

When discussing Young's demeanor with Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator highlighted the player's even keel as a rare trait. Whether things are going well or badly, his composure remains the same. However, that doesn't mean the signal-caller isn't striving for greatness - something that became synonymous with his football life before joining the Panthers.

"I haven't seen [last year] really impact him. And I think the more that everybody gets to know Bryce [Young], the more you're going to see the guy's really composed. He's got the same effect on his face. When I watched him at Alabama for all those years, whether it was one of their early games where they're running somebody out of a stadium or whether it was a game late in the year, he's got the same effect in those moments. He's the same way when it comes about his work. So I know that there's a there's going to be a measure of him just feeling certain games out. But he's a guy that has been the best player in high school. The best player in college. So he expects to be the best player again."

- Dave Canales via CBS Sports

Young's never going to be the flamboyant franchise quarterback the Panthers got with Cam Newton. That's not his personality and he's not going to change. Leading by quiet example and speaking up when the situation dictates is the Alabama product's preferred approach.

Keeping the same mindset and moving on quickly from play to play is a big positive where Young is concerned. It shows maturity beyond his years, but it wasn't shocking to see the confidence slowly disintegrate within the Heisman Trophy winner during his first real taste of prolonged adversity during the previous campaign.

He's got the character to fight back. Young's already demonstrated improvement in terms of footwork and getting the football out within the 2.7-second target. Much more is needed, but progressing his fundamentals is the key Canales believes can propel the Southern California native to his pre-draft billing.

Being the best in high school and college is one thing. Doing it in the NFL is another matter entirely.

This is the cream of the crop. It's the pinnacle of the profession. The margins are slimmer and the tempo is higher. Navigating this is arguably Young's toughest challenge of all on his road to redemption.

And make no mistake, Canales will be with him every step of the way.