NFL Scout: Bryce Young’s Bench Stint Has Elevated His Game in…
Bryce Young looks like a different player these days. Following a tumultuous and ultimately disappointing rookie season, the Carolina Panthers quarterback was benched after two terrible outings to open the 2024 campaign. He spent six weeks on the bench, and he’s looked like the best quarterback in his class over the last four weeks. One NFL analyst believes the time off helped him take the next steps in two important areas.
Bryce Young’s benching paid off for the Panthers
The time spent on the bench allowed Bryce Young to see what he was really working with. Too often during the first two weeks, Young acted like he was still behind the 2023 Panthers offensive line and with 2023 weapons. That wasn’t the case, and he was able to see it. It helps, according to NFL analyst Bucky Brooks, that they can protect him with an upgraded line this year.
Brooks said, “The improved protection has led to more deep shots to an emerging collection of pass catchers with speed to burn (SEE: rookies Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker). In addition, a playmaking tight end (Ja’Tavion Sanders) between the hashes has enabled Young to attack the middle of the field with greater efficiency.”
The analyst also noted that Young learned while on the bench what he did and did not have to do. He was saddled with a lot in 2023, but in 2024, the Panthers offense is good enough to do some of the work for him. “While the game logs do not always reflect a young passer blossoming into an assassin with the ball in his hands, the 23-year-old has won two of his last four starts (and played a very impressive game in a tight loss to the back-to-back reigning champion Chiefs), improving his performance with more reps,” Brooks said.
Young gained his confidence back, and it’s allowed him to adopt a role more suitable for his style of play and his body type. It also allowed him to trust his teammates and learn to make plays he wasn’t even trying to before.
