Bryce Moving Forward

https://catcrave.com/beat-writer-touts-c...2dee3e476b

 
Beat writer touts Carolina Panthers QB options if Bryce Young experiment fails

Bryce Young's situation remains precarious.


Winning two consecutive games before the bye week gave everyone associated with the Carolina Panthers a huge lift. But they still find themselves in a precarious situation at 3-7 with a testing schedule following the extended rest period.


One of the biggest conundrums facing those in power centers on the quarterback position. Bryce Young's recent improvements since being reintroduced into the starting lineup leave reasons for encouragement. However, head coach Dave Canales remains reluctant to make a long-standing commitment to the player.

It makes sense to give Young a good run in the team. He's growing in confidence and everyone in the locker room is fully behind the signal-caller again. Couple this with the Panthers not having much to play for other than pride, and the decision almost makes itself.

What comes after that is less certain.

All options are on the table. This regime has no sentimental attachment to Young. Unless the former Alabama star leaves no doubt, it wouldn't be surprising to see the Panthers go in a different direction.

This was a topic discussed by Joe Person of The Athletic. The beat writer thought Carolina could go with a veteran bridge and draft a quarterback - naming Miami's star prospect Cam Ward specifically - if Young doesn't meet expectations. Another touted possibility was Justin Fields, who the Panthers ignored in the 2021 NFL Draft in favor of cornerback Jaycee Horn.


"Dave Canales wasn’t in Charlotte when the Panthers drafted [Bryce] Young, and there are signs he’s not sold on him. When Young led back-to-back wins over New Orleans and the Giants — matching his win total from his rookie season — Canales declined to immediately name him the starter for the following game. So it wouldn’t be surprising if [Andy] Dalton is behind center again, with Canales and the other decision-makers gauging whether the 37-year-old could be a bridge in 2025. Canales also has ties to [Geno] Smith and [Russell] Wilson if either becomes available. The Panthers could draft Cam Ward, who’s starring for GM Dan Morgan’s alma mater, Miami, and bring in someone like Justin Fields as a bridge."

- Joe Person, The Athletic
This is speculation right now. Young is on a week-to-week audition for the job. Canales has shown his ruthless tendencies by benching the quarterback after just two games. He also reportedly remains curious about what Dalton could bring beyond the 2024 campaign for some unknown reason.

Young is starting to win people around. He's not the finished article just yet, but his production has come on leaps and bounds after being taken out of the firing line. If the same trend continues when the opposition gets much tougher, Canales and general manager Dan Morgan could decide to give him the 2025 season and strengthen other position groups.

That's arguably the best-case scenario, but it could go either way.

The margin for error remains razor-thin where Young is concerned. Keeping the same mentality, executing the scheme effectively, and coming through in key situations will keep Dalton on the sideline and potentially get him a reprieve.

Considering how things looked for the Heisman Trophy winner after Week 2, that would be a significant accomplishment. Whether it becomes reality or not is another matter.

- Joe Person, The Athletic
This is speculation right now. Young is on a week-to-week audition for the job. Canales has shown his ruthless tendencies by benching the quarterback after just two games. He also reportedly remains curious about what Dalton could bring beyond the 2024 campaign for some unknown reason.

I don't call benching Bryce after the first two games " Ruthless".  Bryce's  first two games this season were two of the worst I can remember in Panther history ..   Canales could have lost the team completely had he not done what was best for the team.  
I'm tickled we have won our last two games. but in reality, Bryce has not struck awe in me.  Played better ? YES !!   but when you were as bad as those first two games,  anything could be considered an improvement ..

But Canales was not Ruthless..    Everyone of us here were tickled he benched Bryce.

- Joe Person, The Athletic
This is speculation right now. Young is on a week-to-week audition for the job. Canales has shown his ruthless tendencies by benching the quarterback after just two games. He also reportedly remains curious about what Dalton could bring beyond the 2024 campaign for some unknown reason.

I don't call benching Bryce after the first two games " Ruthless".  Bryce's  first two games this season were two of the worst I can remember in Panther history ..   Canales could have lost the team completely had he not done what was best for the team.  
I'm tickled we have won our last two games. but in reality, Bryce has not struck awe in me.  Played better ? YES !!   but when you were as bad as those first two games,  anything could be considered an improvement ..

But Canales was not Ruthless..    Everyone of us here were tickled he benched Bryce.

I couldn't agree more.  Had Canales not benched Bryce when he did, he would have lost the team AND the fans.

- Joe Person, The Athletic
This is speculation right now. Young is on a week-to-week audition for the job. Canales has shown his ruthless tendencies by benching the quarterback after just two games. He also reportedly remains curious about what Dalton could bring beyond the 2024 campaign for some unknown reason.

I don't call benching Bryce after the first two games " Ruthless".  Bryce's  first two games this season were two of the worst I can remember in Panther history ..   Canales could have lost the team completely had he not done what was best for the team.  
I'm tickled we have won our last two games. but in reality, Bryce has not struck awe in me.  Played better ? YES !!   but when you were as bad as those first two games,  anything could be considered an improvement ..

But Canales was not Ruthless..    Everyone of us here were tickled he benched Bryce.

YES...

This is exactly correct.  Canales did what he was supposed to do. His job is the TEAM. Not a single player.

We all need to remember that this is a TEAM game. Are we happy to have won two in a row?? Absolutely.!!  Are we playing better.?? Sure we are.!! Is it because of Bryce Young.??  Uhh...No.   Bryce is playing better than he was, but he's still not "all that". All you have to do is look at the stat line to see that he's just getting by.

We won those two games because the TEAM is finally coming together... AND, because we have managed to return a lot of our injured players to active status.  The team is maturing and the players are starting to show some discipline and desire to win.  I don't know how long it will last, but I'll take it for whatever it's worth.....

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.

Id wanna keep him, just me.  He’s one of our best linemen per pff.  Just saying…