Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers are currently in the midst of what figures to be a highly important offseason for the future direction of the franchise after a horrific 2023-24 campaign. That season was Young's first in the NFL after being taken number one overall out of the University of Alabama the previous offseason, and Young didn't exactly live up to expectations in his first year under center in the NFL, although how much of that was his fault and how much falls on the shoulders of the Panthers' front office for failing to provide him with adequate protection or receivers is certainly a fair question to be asked.
In any case, there is still certainly a lot Young can do in order to help himself succeed at the NFL level, and if the latest photographs are any indication, it appears that the former Crimson Tide star has been doing just that this offseason.
A recent photo snapped at Panthers' OTAs showed Young looking a considerable bit buffer than he did at this time a season ago, with much more muscle definition in his arms and a larger overall frame.
The post from Bleacher Report Gridiron on Instagram showed a side by side of Young this year and last year (via the Panthers on Instagram) and is sure to have Panthers fans excited about how much more durable their franchise quarterback could possibly be this upcoming season.
Can the Panthers rebound?
Not much could have gone worse for the Panthers than what actually occurred during their disastrous 2023-24 season. Young struggled mightily, but as previously referenced, the lack of time that he had in the pocket shouldn't be wished on any quarterback in the NFL, let alone a rookie throwing to arguably the worst receiving group in the league.
To make matters even worse if that was possible, the Panthers weren't even rewarded for their struggles on account of the fact that they didn't own the number one overall pick they earned due to having the worst record in the NFL. Instead, that pick went to the Chicago Bears (who drafted generational prospect Caleb Williams) due to a trade the previous season between the two squads.
However, it seems that things may finally be starting to change for the better in Carolina, as his teammates are starting to notice some improvements in Young's game during OTA's.
“He's a great quarterback,” wide receiver Diontae Johnson said, per David Newton of ESPN. “Accurate. Smart. He knows how to get his guys in position. Whenever we're out there, you can always count on him to get us in the right spot and make sure everybody knows what they're doing.”
Cornerback Jaycee Horn was also among those who sang Young's praises at a recent practice.
“It's going to help him just because he's got a year under his belt,” Horn said. “Your first year is kind of fast, and the second year, things slow down a lot. So weapons or not — I don't really get into all that — he's going to be a better player just because he's going into Year 2.”
The Panthers's season will get underway in September.
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