Panthers HC shares big Bryce Young update regarding new offense

First-year Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales insists that second-year quarterback Bryce Young is mastering a new offense ahead of summer training camp practices. 

"He's doing fantastic with it," Canales said during a Monday news conference about how Young is picking up the new playbook, per David Newton of ESPN. "So, for us, the formations are pretty vanilla so we can just teach the concept we want out of each route, the depth, the footwork we want. As I expect him to do, he's really mastered that part of it."

The Panthers made Young the first pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, but he struggled throughout his rookie season before team owner David Tepper fired head coach Frank Reich in late November. According to Pro-Football-Reference, Young ended this past campaign ranked 30th in the NFL with a 33.4 adjusted QBR and 31st with a 36.5% passing success rate. Across 16 games, Young completed 59.8% of 527 pass attempts for 2,877 yards with 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. 

The Panthers hired Canales after he served as offensive coordinator with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and helped quarterback Baker Mayfield become a Comeback Player of the Year candidate last season. Mayfield is listed at 6-foot-1, while Young famously measured at 5-foot-10 1/8 during the 2023 scouting combine. 

"Deep balls, short, intermediate, he's a really accurate passer," Canales added about Young. "One of the things I really love is I can really focus on the footwork, his base and the mechanics of where his eyes are at when I know the ball is hitting the receivers."

The Panthers signed guards Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis in free agency, traded with the Pittsburgh Steelers for wide receiver Diontae Johnson and then selected receiver Xavier Legette with the 32nd overall pick of this year's draft. Carolina hopes such individuals will make life easier for both Young and Canales this fall. 

"I'm super excited to have new pieces," Young remarked. "Now, it's on us to put the work in, to build the chemistry, to get the reps on the field and make it translate."

As of Tuesday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook listed Young as a +5000 betting underdog to earn Comeback Player of the Year honors for the upcoming season. If he follows in Mayfield's footsteps, the 22-year-old could become a revelation under Canales by the time Christmas rolls around.