After a brutal start to the 2024 season, Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers might want to adjust their strategy. ESPN analyst Domonique Foxworth expressed concern about how these big losses and poor performances could derail the young quarterback's career.
“I feel like after last season, he didn’t have much confidence, and then he came in and turned the ball over the first play of the game. There was no confidence left to hemorrhage. There’s a difference between when you completely give up on him or when you bench him. I think if things don’t get better, benching him is the best thing for him and for this team. I guess you go with Andy Dalton, but I guess he was a professional starter in this league at one point. A Joe Flacco-level quarterback.”
Head coach Dave Canales broke down how he wants to approach watching game film with Young after the Panthers' 10-47 loss to the New Orleans Saints.
“I need to make it about the basics and just look at each play as isolated incidents. Look at the play. What was the break down? Was it timing? Was it footwork? Was it protection? You know, there's a lot of factors that go in and I think that if you can be objective about looking at the breakdown of the play itself, then it allows you to improve. That's what I'm looking forward to.”
How the Panthers, Dave Canales can pivot the development of Bryce Young
Plowing ahead as if there's nothing wrong in Carolina would be a mistake. Young's body language and demeanor looked dejected during their post-game presser.
After a hard loss, some of that is to be expected, but looking and feeling this way should be proactively avoided. Foxworth makes this point in the above clip.
“I don’t think you’re setting yourself up to be successful,” Foxworth stated. “But at least you don’t put Bryce Young out there to get further pummeled and have his confidence completely destroyed.”
Foxworth went on to compare Young to Zach Wilson, who went in too early, struggled, got benched and ultimately was sent packing to be a backup in another city because his team mismanaged him.
While the Panthers have team-wide issues and a defense that could not slow down the Saints' offense, it is critical to get Young away from the expectations of doing it all himself. Canales has to pull back and reevaluate what the team is trying to accomplish in the short term.
The Panthers will have another chance to improve in Week 2 when they host the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, September 15, at 1:00 p.m. EST.
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