What Vikings' Josh McCown learned amid struggles of Panthers' Bryce Young

Retired quarterback and current Minnesota Vikings quarterbacks coach Josh McCown spent a portion of the 2023 season serving as quarterbacks coach of the Carolina Panthers and working with then-rookie signal-caller Bryce Young.

McCown recently spoke with reporters about what he took away from the experience.

"There’s still a learning curve to this league," McCown explained, according to Alec Lewis of The Athletic. "So, it’s important to give yourself space to understand that and not put pressure or a level of expectations on them that are sometimes unattainable in year No. 1."

The thought a year ago was that McCown and then-head coach Frank Reich could help Young develop into an Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate. Young never came close to meeting such expectations, and Panthers owner David Tepper fired both McCown and Reich in late November.

Per Pro-Football-Reference, Young finished his rookie campaign ranked 30th out of 32 qualified passers with a 33.4 adjusted QBR. Over 16 games, he tossed 11 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions.

Minnesota hired McCown in February and spent the 10th overall pick of this year's draft to grab Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy. McCarthy currently is competing with veteran Sam Darnold for the team's starting job.

"When we got him on the field," McCown said about McCarthy's private workout with the Vikings before the draft, "it was like another version of his pro day, where you really felt like he was spinning the ball."

McCown also noted how impressed the coaching staff was with how McCarthy "held his own intellectually, relationally and emotionally" while discussing plays he was asked to review 24 hours before the meeting.

The Vikings reportedly explored moving up to No. 5 in this year's draft order to select wide receiver Malik Nabers but instead jumped up a single spot for McCarthy. Minnesota will now hope McCarthy proves to be a long-term replacement for Kirk Cousins, who left in free agency to sign with the Atlanta Falcons.

As of Thursday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook listed McCarthy fourth among the betting favorites at +1200 odds to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award for the upcoming season.