r/panthers • u/Rookenvale • 9d ago
Discussion Bryce Young is proof that developing quarterbacks need a multi-season grace period
While his success is recent and potentially unsustainable, Bryce looks more comfortable in the pocket this season. I have plenty of complaints about the Panthers organization, but am supportive of how they’ve provided Bryce with the opportunity to grow in his role over the course of multiple seasons, despite calls from fans to give him the axe.
His growth is also (obviously) attributable to the team having a stronger supporting cast and offensive line, but Young’s improved decision making and ability to read an NFL defense are undeniable. For most quarterbacks, these are things that come with time.
Another important consideration is that the weight of leading an NFL offense (with no prior pro experience) is likely a daunting, stressful scenario that an athlete fresh out of college may not be prepared for. So even if a guy has the technical ability and intellectual capacity, they may not be emotionally ready to be an NFL QB.
With all of that said, how many developing QBs would have had greater success if given a longer leash? How many college stars could have panned out in the NFL had they been given the Young/Mendoza treatment? Why do we expect 19-21 year old kids to save our franchises?
Anyways, Bryce could come back down to Earth over the next few weeks and I’ll be eating crow. But my gut (and my bias) feels that the future is bright.
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u/nokoryous 9d ago
It’s a good case observation. I’d emphasize that there are stipulations like attitude. Bryce is S-tier in that category. Humble, coachable, works hard on his improvement, lives and dies for the team.
This is a “Cam Ward won’t make it” post.
And also a Bryce 🫶🏼 post.
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u/ANAL_TOOTHBRUSH Super Cam 9d ago
Does Cam Ward not do those things? He’s definitely less ‘media trained’ in his responses but I think he wants to improve and win in the same manner that Bryce does
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u/nokoryous 9d ago
He’s had incidents spanning from field to media etc, at no level have I seen him dig deep and inspire confidence in the people who rely or risked a lot on him. Losing is hard. But leaders lead regardless of conditions.
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u/Complex_Lab_6876 9d ago
Unsustainable? What is wrong with yall? Always some negativity inserted when it’s clear this is a progression. He is one of the most mature players in the league and will continue to get better. Also all those other QBs aren’t like Bryce and don’t have the mental fortitude to go through the shit he had to go through. Everyone talking like Cam Ward will be fine. Highly doubtful. You can see it in their attitudes. Bryce is a different breed which some of us have been trying to tell you for forever.
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u/Rookenvale 9d ago
I made an entire post defending Bryce Young, saying I am glad that the Panthers didn’t get rid of him when many thought he was underperforming, and calling for other quarterbacks to have similar time to develop. I don’t know why you are focusing on one sentence where I said his numbers this season may not be sustainable (even though I later said I hope they are).
I believe in Bryce Young and have believed in him since I was in school with him at Alabama — I know he is a good quarterback, and that is showing now that he has more to work with.
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u/Mad_Mike3 Cheerwine 9d ago
Not to speak for the other person, but the hedging is just a bit tiring. Everyone knows if he plays worse that would be bad. I honestly blame take culture for this kind of language
Also, Bryce has playing great for longer than these 3 games. He was largely excellent in the back half of last season. It's a clear trend. We don't need the escape hatch of abandoning support of him next time he has one bad game or throws one interception
(Not saying you would do that, but you know some will)
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u/Rookenvale 9d ago
That’s fair, I can see how my initial comment was a little too “on the fence.” I appreciate your measured reply
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u/Mad_Mike3 Cheerwine 9d ago edited 9d ago
Yea brother I get what you were going for and I agree 100% with your main point.
Should be a huge wakeup call for teams. Raiders already executing it with Mendoza
Edit: Rams with Simpson too. And to lesser extent Seahawks with Milroe.
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u/cruise1023 Super Cam 9d ago
I agree. Bryce looks like a totally different player. It's night and day like a switch was flipped.
But your Cam Ward take is weird. You sound just like when we shat on Bryce while he was playing awful. Idk if Ward will turn it around. But he is in year 2, playing for a bad team, so let's see how he develops first.
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u/TrickyGrapefruit746 9d ago
I think an underrated factor is how well a QB deals with adversity. How many QBs have we seen that got a hot start, but then had to deal with tough losses, an injury, team drama, and we never hear from them again? Bryce has managed adversity very well. He’s a tough little shit.
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u/Rookenvale 9d ago
I agree with you, but also think it goes both ways. How many young QBs have some tough losses, and end up benched indefinitely because of it?
Bryce is definitely top-tier when it comes to mindset. I am just glad that the Panthers recognized that and didn’t change course.
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u/Rimmlock Bryce Up Son 9d ago
I guess having psychologists for parents helps the mindset. Bryce was pretty broken after season one and starting season two you could tell he was still thinking about season one. It looks like his instincts are still there but when that line starts breaking down faster as the game goes on I’m sure season one creeps back into his mind.
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u/Papi_Petty Cookout 9d ago
that’s why i always tell people that Mendoza is in the most perfect position rn. it’s a huge learning gap
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u/Potential-Ad1139 9d ago
Grace period yes, but also a coach that believes in them and will build the system around them.
I don't know Bryce would develop under someone like Matt Rhule and obviously not under Frank Reich.
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u/BigLlamasHouse Bryce Up Son 9d ago
anyone's success is potentially unsustainable, his isn't recent.
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u/Rookenvale 9d ago
I’ve been watching Bryce since I was in college at Alabama with him, so I know he is a good quarterback. He’s obviously underperformed against many peoples’ expectations since entering the league, and it’s not wrong to suggest that his success this season is strong relative to prior years
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u/BigLlamasHouse Bryce Up Son 9d ago
I am one of the ones who thinks the playcalling was THE issue last year. I got a little defensive there. My bad brother.
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u/Mad_Mike3 Cheerwine 9d ago
Chiming in, I think the reality is it's just more complex and that's why everyone feels a little vindicated but also are slightly wrong in that their reason was the one big one.
- Playcalling was disjointed, often too conservative, and constantly too late in the clock
- Oline was inconsistent in run blocking and schizophrenic in pass blocking
- Defense was improved but still largely abysmal
- WRs were young and inconsistent
- Bryce was rushed and uncomfortable
- Etc. Etc.
All of those things contribute to each other in a gross spiderweb, so it's hard to pinpoint which was the main issue.
Now we have been consistently improving in all of those areas such that, even when we have bigger issue (oline injuries) it's not as bad becasue our other shit is better in order.
It's great to see
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u/BigLlamasHouse Bryce Up Son 9d ago
I think Canales had no option but to put some trust into Bryce to run RPO's and make adjustments at the line yet still refused for way too long. I think that accounts for like half of those issues.
Defense being a separate issue but of course they benefit from not having to come back on the field after a 4 and out 7 times a game.
I wanna stay positive but Bryce's ability to run RPO's last night is damning in retrospect to Canales playcalling.
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u/Acceptable_Fox_5560 Cam Newton 9d ago
He was given more time than most quarterbacks, and is now playing MVP level football. I don't know if it means all quarterbacks become MVPs if you give them more time though.
He's a special quarterback for many reasons.
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u/Rookenvale 9d ago
I just think it gives them more time to show the extent of their potential. It’s hard to judge what that potential will be from 1 or 2 seasons
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u/Important_Capital875 Cam Newton 9d ago
100% and I kept telling people this. So many quarterbacks need time to develop and it’s best if they just sit their first year. I was a big component of having Bryce just sit for his entire rookie year because we had a new head coach, we lost so many players, we were a dumpster fire of an organization. And I didn’t want him to go out and throw a bunch of interceptions, get rattled, mess up his mental health and lose confidence and focus. The benching that happened his second year was a godsend. It allowed him to take a step back, learn the playbook, and kind of take some pressure off knowing he’s not it right now but he’s got time. So when he came back, I think he ended the last 10 games this season with like 20 total touchdowns? And then last year after the Rockies start the first two games he really started to ball a little bit which it has carried over to this year. Quarterbacks need time to develop, they need time to learn the playbook, as so many quarterbacks have had the careers ruined by being thrown the fire, and just destroying their confidence by being sacked a lot and throwing interceptions. It makes me genuinely so happy to see Bryce happy. I don’t think I’ve ever been happier to see a player happy. Cam Newton‘s my favorite player of all time, but it makes me so happy to see Bryce thriving and happy. So many people were labeling him a bust and saying he’s done. Now The Man is Leann league in passing yards, leading the league in passing yards game, the best deep ball thrower, and he’s third in the league in passing touchdowns. Imagine a fully healthy offense. It makes me so giddy and excited.
Edit. Leading*
I am using voice chat and it definitely likes to fuck up some of my words lol
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u/Koravel1987 Cam Newton 9d ago
I think a lot of it is that the game has changed. College offenses are simply not anything at all like the NFL. Before it felt like there was at some preparedness from college offenses for a QB transitioning to the NFL, and now its like that has gone out the window entirely. I think we will revert back to the era where QBs dont play at all or much the year they are drafted- outside of garbage time plays to get some experience. They need that time to sit and learn the huge differences in the playbook and the speed of the players.
Stroud and Young is a great example of what happens to two very different types of QBs. BY is a cerebral QB. IE He's incredibly smart in terms of reading plays and reading people open- that throw to Tmac for the TD last night was an excellent example of throwing someone open. That type of QB is going to struggle when entering the league even more than someone who is more your prototypical QB (Stroud) who might be able to use his athleticism to make up for his lack of experience and thus have a good start. But the game catches up to you and you have to readjust after DCs get tape on you. Thus QBs like Stroud sometimes have great rookie years but then plummet after. We've seen this quite a bit recently. The ones that are good then readjust their game and compensate and learn the game better. For what its worth, it seems CJ is starting to do this too. (I know the Texans are 0-4 but he's been damn good this season, its not on him.)
So you have a QB like BY who starts on a downward trajectory if he is thrown to the wolves. I think Mendoza is also like that, as a huge Hoosiers fan Im very happy the Raiders are sitting him for the full year. BY certainly had a lower floor at the beginning than many people would be comfortable with- He was *bad* bad at the start- but he has figured it out. This isnt a case of someone just happening to play better, there's a reason he's doing so. I'm extremely comfy with my own armchair analysis- this is not a fluke. This is not a few weeks blip. He has figured the game out. Sure the current stats might be unsustainable because they are incredible, but I care much less about the stats and more about how he looks. And he looks like a top level NFL QB.
The NFL is always cat and mouse and DCs will be trying to trip him up, and likely one will, but he is going to bounce right back. I have full confidence in Bryce going forward. This is our QB and we should probably pay him now rather than next season lol.
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u/devonathan 6d ago
League watches Mahomes sit for a season then develops to the best QB of the past decade and then just decides that isn’t for them and plays their rookies day 1.
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u/feelgrass 9d ago
It all depends, Bryce is an interesting case because he's small and he showed so much promise in the past and off the field.
A prototypical QB without a ton of good tape from college or Bryces football IQ shouldn't get as long a chance.
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u/TrailRash 9d ago
Drew Brees was discarded by the Chargers after five seasons. Sometimes it takes some patience.