Report reveals 'poor habits' Panthers' Bryce Young developed during rough rookie season

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young endured a rough rookie season that included the in-campaign firing of head coach Frank Reich less than a year after the Panthers made Young the first overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft. 

For a lengthy piece published on Tuesday morning, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler and Turron Davenport touched upon Young's struggles during the signal-caller's debut pro campaign. 

"One Panthers team source said Young developed poor habits with footwork, sloppy fundamentals and overall preparation in his season with Reich's staff," Fowler and Davenport noted. "Young averaged around 33 passing attempts per game behind a bad offensive line that surrendered 62 sacks, making Young the second-most sacked quarterback in the league in 2023."

According to Pro Football Reference, Young ended the 2023 regular season ranked last in the NFL among qualified quarterbacks with a 73.7 passer rating. Additionally, he was 31st out of 32 players with a 59.8% completion percentage. 

The Panthers hired former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave Canales as Reich's full-time replacement in January 2024. Canales later benched Young last September after a pair of bad outings. 

"Learning the pro game ... defenses are a lot better. There are no easy games," Reich told ESPN while speaking about his time with Young. "You have to earn every completion, every first down, every touchdown, every win. The ultimate formula for success is great quarterback play and a great defense. But I also do think if you have a legit No. 1 guy who is special, I think early on you want a couple of weapons [that] can show how he's special. And obviously you have to protect him."

Young reportedly "earned a lot of respect from his teammates" and his coaches with how he handled his benching up until then-starter Andy Dalton suffered a sprained thumb in a car accident last October. Young started Carolina's final 10 games of the season and completed 61.8% of his pass attempts for 2,104 yards with 15 touchdowns and six interceptions. He also rushed for 223 yards and five scores as the Panthers won four of 10 contests. 

It seems that Young's working relationships with Canales and offensive coordinator Brad Idzik are now stronger than ever. The 24-year-old will first get an opportunity to build upon what he achieved during the second half of the 2024 season when Carolina opens the upcoming campaign with a matchup at the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sept. 7.