The Carolina Panthers got a pretty good look at what the NFL can do to their rookies in Week 1. For cornerback Will Lee III, it represented a harsh reality check about what it takes to succeed at the next level.
Lee was targeted six times in Carolina's loss to the Chicago Bears, allowing four receptions for 90 yards. Not exactly what the first-year player had in mind, and how he responds will be critical.
The Texas A&M product allowed five yards per coverage snap, ranking last among 114 cornerbacks through Week 1. Lee's three missed tackles tied for the most at the position.
Will Lee III must grow up quickly after shaky Carolina Panthers debut
That's a brutal debut. But the Panthers need to be careful about what they do with it.
Lee was a fourth-round pick who played only 27 defensive snaps against Chicago. Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero probably knew he'd have to live with some rookie mistakes.
The coaching staff has been preparing for exactly that kind of growth period, and Lee's response after the game made it clear he isn't looking for excuses.
He wants to learn from it.
The Bears clearly identified Lee as someone they wanted to attack.
That shouldn't have been a huge surprise — he was a rookie playing his first regular-season game. Lee even acknowledged that he expected to be targeted.
"I mean, like who wouldn't," Lee said, via the Panthers' official website. "You got a rookie corner out there, and you want to see what he's capable of and what he can do."
Carolina Panthers' faith in young players is already being put to the test
The numbers show that Chicago found some success doing exactly that.
Lee allowed 90 receiving yards, the most of any Panthers defender. To make matters worse, Pro Football Focus gave him a 44.9 overall defensive grade, which ranked 14th among Carolina defenders who played at least 10 snaps.
There were also mistakes beyond the coverage numbers. Lee missed three tackles. Some of his struggles came in situations where the Panthers simply needed him to finish the play. He couldn't deliver.
The most encouraging part of this situation may actually be how the Panthers are approaching it.
Dave Canales said that Carolina's coaching staff has always been willing to accept a "rookie growing period" early in the season. This has always been the head coach's strategy, knowing he will need those young players as the year goes on.
Lee certainly seems to understand that timeline.
"I just feel like I can just execute better," Lee said. "People will say like, oh, that's a rookie. Stuff like that, but I don't want to live under that rookie rock."
The Panthers don't need Lee to be perfect right now. They need him to improve when it counts.
And the sooner that happens, the better.
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