Bryce Moving Forward

This is not a bash Bryce topic lol.

After last season most of us were disappointed in our rookie , number 1 pick quarterback .  Many of us felt he never had a chance due to the lack of an offensive line and not much to work with at wide receiver.  Some just felt he was in over his head,  too short,  too small,  rattled,  he'd peeked in college only to never get better.  
Year two started out pretty bad.  In my opinion he was worse than last season,  and I was glad to see Canales bench him.

Enter week 9 and 10 , and Bryce played better and the Panthers have won 2 game in a row.  Many say it's a team game and the O line is really better currently,  the young wide receivers and tight ends have stepped up their game.  

Bryce as managed the game well or ok.  He's not lighting it up with his arm.  His decisions are better but still not top tier.  

I guess what I'm saying , is I'm a fan that blows in the wind with Bryce.  This week I say he can't play in the NFL,  This week I say he did ok. etc.

So where are you with him and his performances over the last 2 weeks.

Can he have a game(s) where he throws for 250 -300 yards and 3 TD ?  or is 150 yrds and 1-2 TD the best we can expect ? 

There are a lot of young QB's who are not playing lights out in the NFL currently.
There are QBs who have had good seasons only to have their O line not be good this year, or no WR and they look bad this year. 

It is a team sport.  You do have to have the tools to be an NFL QB too.   Maybe by next season we see a huge difference in our wins and losses and it's because Dan and Dave actually build a good team ..

Per NFL.com yesterday, Bryce was ranked as the #23 Quarterback in the League. He started out on bottom.

Not turning the ball over was a big plus in the last game.  He does seem to be making better decisions and is getting the ball put faster. I am in a wait and see mode but it is encouraging to see progress. But...not sure what his ceiling is.  Love his attitude.

Yesterday there was an article with Sports Illustrated and Yahoo Sports.

Panthers analyst predicts a return for Andy Dalton
Joe Person covers the Panthers for the Athletic. This prediction was made before the New York Giants matchup, but the logic still applies. Person said that Young earned praise from Canales after the New Orleans Saints win, but that he wasn't committing to him for even the next week. That's true again, and he believes Dalton and Young will get three starts each to finish this season:

"Conventional wisdom would be to continue to play Young to make absolutely sure he’s not the answer. But it would not be shocking to see Canales go back to Dalton, the 37-year-old who sprained his thumb in a two-car accident last month. Canales praised the “fantastic job” Young did in closing out the Saints game but didn’t commit to him beyond this week. And no one in the organization has committed to him beyond this season."

The Panthers didn't trade him at the deadline, but GM Dan Morgan said they'd reassess in the offseason and see where everyone is at. That isn't exactly a vote of confidence in Young, and Canales doesn't seem to want to give him the reins just yet anyway.



After reading these two.. I got the impression Dave and Dan aren't 100 % in on Bryce. If we are going to start a back up to see what we have.. and we know Andy to be just that, a back up at this point of his career, I just wonder if management is still considering Bryce's future with the Panthers.

I think NFL teams don't give young QB's time to develop. On the other hand if they see things with Bryce they just don't see improvement with, maybe they're looking to make an off season move . I don't know squat. but starting Andy to see another start seems strange

Don’t want to start another thread but is there an relation to the offense playing better and Icky not in the lineup?

Don’t want to start another thread but is there an relation to the offense playing better and Icky not in the lineup?

Good question....

Not sure if it's because Ekwonu is NOT in the lineup -- OR, because Brady Christensen IS in the lineup.  I've always contended that Christensen got shafted (a little..?) because he is a decent LT as well as a great general purpose O-lineman. Still Ekwonu is a bigger, stronger guy and at least theoretically should be a better Tackle for a 'run-first' offense.

Your question though, DOES have merit.  IMHO...

Don’t want to start another thread but is there an relation to the offense playing better and Icky not in the lineup?

Good question....

Not sure if it's because Ekwonu is NOT in the lineup -- OR, because Brady Christensen IS in the lineup.  I've always contended that Christensen got shafted (a little..?) because he is a decent LT as well as a great general purpose O-lineman. Still Ekwonu is a bigger, stronger guy and at least theoretically should be a better Tackle for a 'run-first' offense.

Your question though, DOES have merit.  IMHO...

I see no path in which Bryce doesn’t start (barring injury) the rest of the year.  If not we’ve given up on him n need to sign Andy back.  He’s a fa.  N old.  I love the guy.  Kick Bryce’s tires n figure next year out see how he handles the “fight” to the end.  IMHO only way to go unless he bombs, Chiefs game don’t count; but that’s a helluva test!

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Don’t want to start another thread but is there an relation to the offense playing better and Icky not in the lineup?

Good question....

Not sure if it's because Ekwonu is NOT in the lineup -- OR, because Brady Christensen IS in the lineup.  I've always contended that Christensen got shafted (a little..?) because he is a decent LT as well as a great general purpose O-lineman. Still Ekwonu is a bigger, stronger guy and at least theoretically should be a better Tackle for a 'run-first' offense.

Your question though, DOES have merit.  IMHO...

I hear u guys.  Great question.  I just love they are competing,whoever’s out there.

I'm hoping that if Icky was out there , our run game might even be better. And we need to see if he can pass block in the NFL as a left tackle.

When's he coming back ?

I'm hoping that if Icky was out there , our run game might even be better.  And we need to see if he can pass block in the NFL as a left tackle. 
When's he coming back  ?

"When is he coming back?"  =  Ankle injury in Week 8, didn't return. Missed Week 9, and Week 10. Prognosis = UNKNOWN.

The Panthers will have to decide on his 5th year option this coming year (well, before the 2025 contract year). He was drafted #6 overall in 2022.  So, the Panthers will have to decide around draft time next year on the 5th year option. Players are on four year rookie contracts when they're drafted and 1st round draftees can be retained for a fifth year if the team picks up the "option". So... even though the players are on a four year contract, the team has only THREE years to decide about the fifth year option. So, the Panthers will have to decide after this season.

This is his third year. His "time" is running down. To your point, OP....  If he hasn't yet 'learned' how to pass-block in the NFL, you have to wonder if he is a true first quality Left Tackle. YES, he's a motor grader as a run-blocker, but.... after all, the NFL is an "aerial-assault" league. He's had plenty of time. Why are we still undecided if he can effectively pass-block.??

1) Rookie year = OK for a rookie. Not bad.
2) Second year = Abysmal. Pretty awful.
3) Third year (now) = Better than last year, but still very questionable.

*** Fifth year option = UNKNOWN.

I'm hoping that if Icky was out there , our run game might even be better.  And we need to see if he can pass block in the NFL as a left tackle. 
When's he coming back  ?

"When is he coming back?"  =  Ankle injury in Week 8, didn't return. Missed Week 9, and Week 10. Prognosis = UNKNOWN.

The Panthers will have to decide on his 5th year option this coming year (well, before the 2025 contract year). He was drafted #6 overall in 2022.  So, the Panthers will have to decide around draft time next year on the 5th year option. Players are on four year rookie contracts when they're drafted and 1st round draftees can be retained for a fifth year if the team picks up the "option". So... even though the players are on a four year contract, the team has only THREE years to decide about the fifth year option. So, the Panthers will have to decide after this season.

This is his third year. His "time" is running down. To your point, OP....  If he hasn't yet 'learned' how to pass-block in the NFL, you have to wonder if he is a true first quality Left Tackle. YES, he's a motor grader as a run-blocker, but.... after all, the NFL is an "aerial-assault" league. He's had plenty of time. Why are we still undecided if he can effectively pass-block.??

1) Rookie year = OK for a rookie. Not bad.
2) Second year = Abysmal. Pretty awful.
3) Third year (now) = Better than last year, but still very questionable.

*** Fifth year option = UNKNOWN.

Icky is one of our few linemen that we haven't moved around on the line.  ( Moton being the other ) .  I wonder if they'd try him at guard some.  Obviously they know a lot  more than I do , so I'm not screaming  that we should move him around.    But should we not pick up his 5th year etc.  there are plenty of teams that would want him and pay him a lot.  He is not a wash out.