Earlier this summer, New York Giants legend Eli Manning made it known he believed Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young would ultimately “benefit” from struggling throughout a difficult rookie season that included the firing of head coach Frank Reich in late November.
Manning expanded on that take during a recent conversation with Joseph Person of The Athletic.
“Rookie year, you’re just trying to figure out which way is up and down a little bit,” Manning explained. “How do you call the plays and what receivers can do — there’s so much going on where you feel like you’re not even playing football. You’re just trying to do something someone is telling you to do.“
It’s no secret the Panthers made multiple offseason moves with Young in mind. Carolina hired Dave Canales, an offensive guru with a history of getting the most out of undersized quarterbacks, as Reich’s full-time replacement. The Panthers later bolstered their offensive line and acquired multiple needed weapons at play-maker positions.
Future Hall of Famer Drew Brees, who measured in at just over 6 feet tall at the 2001 scouting combine, mentioned that Young (listed at 5-foot-10) wasn’t all that was wrong with the Panthers last season.
“They didn’t have all the pieces last year,” Brees said about the Panthers. “They’re beginning to develop that through the draft and free agency and other things. So they’ll get there. But yeah, this is (Young’s) opportunity to make a jump.”
Brees noted that he thinks Young is “ready to springboard” after the second-year pro made 16 starts with the Panthers to go along with the 27 total games he started for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Brees told The Athletic’s Larry Holder last month he’s convinced “it takes at least 50 high-quality starts before you are really ready to kind of take it to the next level as a quarterback.“
C.J. Stroud of the Houston Texans undeniably outperformed Young en route to earning Offensive Rookie of the Year Award honors, but it’s believed that the Texans would’ve taken Young over Stroud had they owned the first pick instead of the second choice in last year’s draft. Such a take goes to show how highly individuals within the NFL thought of Young before he endured a rough debut pro season.
“He’s athletic, he throws the ball really well, he sees everything,” Manning added about Young. “I think he’ll calm down and they’ll try to help protect him a little bit and make sure he’s running plays he’s comfortable with. It doesn’t always have to be the perfect play, but it’s plays where he knows the progression, he knows his 1-2-3 and he knows the timing of the offense.“
There’s no sign Panthers owner David Tepper is ready to give up on Young, but it’s worth repeating that the team’s current regime didn’t draft the 23-year-old. History shows front offices and coaching staffs usually get at least one chance to work with a chosen quarterback, but Young should receive plenty of opportunities to prove his worth to Canales and Co. before they have to make a long-term decision regarding the sport’s most important position.
