Bryce Young's rookie season was brutal, but all the blame doesn't belong on his shoulders.
The offensive line wasn't great. The coaching staff was a mess. And he didn't have any elite pass-catchers to sling the ball to. Adam Thielen, 33, said he believes all those factors played into Young's struggles. He also indicated that with the changes made to the Panthers' roster, all of that could change – quickly.
"Yeah, well, I'll say this: I mean, I think everything was stacked against him last year, unfortunately," Thielen said, via NFL.com. "And I'm not gonna get into detail as to why that was, but I'm just really excited for him to have a fresh start, an ability to have a good coaching staff that's gonna put a good plan together to help him be successful, and also to put people around him to help him be successful."
Carolina traded for Diontae Johnson, a former 1,000-yard pass catcher. The front office also added Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis, two big-bodied guards who are more effective pass protectors.
The Panthers also have an opportunity to add another wide receiver in the 2024 NFL Draft. To me, the smart choice there would be University of South Carolina receiver Xavier Legette. All that to say, during the 2024 season the cards won't be stacked against Young. He won't have as many stumbling blocks in the way. Carolina has paved his path to success – he just has to pay them back.
"So with that being said, I think what he really showed is his maturity over the year," Thielen said. "I think his ability at times to just be very honest in front of the room and say, 'Hey, this is what I'm not doing very well and this is what I need to get better at and please hold me accountable,' I thought was really impressive for a young guy.
"His maturity level over the season was really cool to see. And his ability to handle adversity. I don't know how much adversity Bryce has had over his football career, and to handle the amount of adversity he did, to show up every week, week in, week out, put his head down and work, try to lead to the best of his ability was really impressive, and what makes me excited about Year 2 with him."
With a new-look offense, there is reason to feel optimism surrounding Young. Thielen feels it, and the public should feel it too.
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