Scott Fitterer details Panthers’ plans for dealing with Bryce Young’s height, weight

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The Panthers made quarterback Bryce Young the first overall pick in the 2023 draft despite the fact that he has non-prototypical height and weight. In a recent interview with #PFTPM, Panthers G.M. Scott Fitterer addressed the extent to which Young’s size impacted their analysis of him, and their plans for him.

“I think it’s something I’ve learned from [G.M.] John Schneider in Seattle,” Fitterer said regarding Young’s height. “What are the compensating factors? John went through that when he was looking at Russell [Wilson]. The one thing you said, ‘How’s his height going to affect him?’ Everyone was talking about, ‘He’s five-ten’. OK, what are the limitations here?

 

“Usually on a shorter quarterback, that’s being able to throw over the middle of the field for the first eight to 10 yards. One thing about Bryce is he can see over the middle of the field. We did the heat map with him where a lot of his completions were right over the middle of the field. Guys who are six-three, six-four, getting balls batted down, throwing over the middle, lower completion rate. The one thing about Bryce, he had a really high completion rate. He only had two batted balls and then you’re like, ‘OK, this guy understands how to slide in the pocket, how to find the windows and the throwing lanes.’ There’s a real art to that and he makes it look so easy. . . . They’re very subtle movements. He’s finding that lane, he’s throwing the ball. We didn’t think the height would be a factor with him. It was something we definitely studied, and you have to study it because it’s a real thing, but he does have those compensating factors.”

Although height can’t be added, weight can. Fitterer believes that, in time, it will come.

“Again, that’s another something that we really talked about,” Bitterer said. “How’s he gonna hold up? You do study guys like Tua [Tagovailoa] or other players. We can build up his body. One thing coming from Alabama, they have all the resources. He’s coming from a program that has all the resources.

“But we do think as his body matures, he will add mass. We will get him on a strength program that will bulk him up. I think the rules now in the NFL where you can’t land on quarterbacks with the body weight, that plays into it.”

Another strategy for helping a smaller guy is to ensure the smaller guy doesn’t get hit as much.

“The one thing about Bryce, he does get rid of the ball a lot of times before he takes a hit,” Fitterer said. “He’s not a guy that’s going to stand in the pocket and hold onto the ball for four seconds when that ball should be out at three. He will avoid some of those hits. He’s very elusive in the pocket. There’s a way that we are going to plan. There’s things we’re asking him to do like, ‘Hey, just throw the ball away, live to fight another day. You don’t need to stand in the pocket for the last second on this second-down play. Let’s just get the third-down and not take that unnecessary hit.’”

Fitterer also said the Panthers are focused on improving the interior of their offensive line, in order to prevent the disruption that can happen up the middle, especially with a shorter quarterback.

“If we can build it really stout up the middle, we think that’ll also help Bryce,” Fitterer said.

It’s good that they have a plan. The challenge now becomes making it work. It’s a calculated risk. The reward could be significant.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2023/05/04/scott-fitterer-details-panthers-plans-for-dealing-with-bryce-youngs-height-weight/

 

[WUnderhill]

But can’t height be added though? I’m not talking 5 inches, but couldn’t they put like a 1 inch insole in his cleat or something if they really felt it was necessary?

[CarolinaGooner]

This is music to my ears. I love the idea of shoring up the interior OL. Both Bree's and Wilson played behind beast offensive lines, especially the interior. 

 

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21 minutes ago, CarolinaGooner said:

This is music to my ears. I love the idea of shoring up the interior OL. Both Bree's and Wilson played behind beast offensive lines, especially the interior. 

 

Right?  In the past, the focus was usually on the tackles and protecting the blind side.  But for shorter QBs like Young, who have the ability to step up in the pocket, I thin it may be more important to prevent the inside rush.  

[ericr0319]

the game is all mental and if you're bright you can work around your limitations/"flaws".

Manziel, Baker, and Kyler aren't in the same ballpark as how Bryce sees the game/field. Brees was. Russell is. that is why they thrive. 

if you're 6"3 and a doof it doesn't matter if you can sling it or not. yes, putting on weight is important to prevent injury, but none of that will make him a better "football player." 

[Pup McBarky]

30 minutes ago, WUnderhill said:

But can’t height be added though? I’m not talking 5 inches, but couldn’t they put like a 1 inch insole in his cleat or something if they really felt it was necessary?

 

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2 minutes ago, ericr0319 said:

the game is all mental and if you're bright you can work around your limitations/"flaws".

Manziel, Baker, and Kyler aren't in the same ballpark as how Bryce sees the game/field. Brees was. Russell is. that is why they thrive. 

if you're 6"3 and a doof it doesn't matter if you can sling it or not. yes, putting on weight is important to prevent injury, but none of that will make him a better "football player." 

He's going to take hits, no matter what, it's the NFL. .. you just want to minimize probabilities by giving him an offensive line, a great scheme, good weapons etc.  Adding weight to be able to absorb hits, when they happen, is important.  

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1 minute ago, Pup McBarky said:

 

Is it too late to start HGH therapy?

Edited May 5, 2023 by NAS

[Castavar]

Just the fact that they acknowledge and are aware of the fact gives me a lot of hope for this front office and coaching staff.

Quote

Fitterer also said the Panthers are focused on improving the interior of their offensive line, in order to prevent the disruption that can happen up the middle, especially with a shorter quarterback.

“If we can build it really stout up the middle, we think that’ll also help Bryce,” Fitterer said.

I LOVED that they mentioned this. With Ron Rivera and Co., it was always trying to fit a square peg in a round hole and always dismissing the elephant in the room.  Cam needed a good o-line and WRs his whole career here, yet for some reason Ron and Hurney thought nothing was wrong. It's such a breath of fresh air to actually have a front office self aware enough to know a good o-line is a MUST.

[therealmjl]

I’m sure there are a number of huddlers that can teach him a thing or two about weight gain

[TheCasillas]

1 hour ago, WUnderhill said:

But can’t height be added though? I’m not talking 5 inches, but couldn’t they put like a 1 inch insole in his cleat or something if they really felt it was necessary?

Maybe he can get some custom cleated AF1s… that should give him almost 2 inches.

[Paa Langfart]

[Paa Langfart]

Just now, Paa Langfart said:

lol- somebody beat me to it - great minds and all that.

[PanthersATL]

Can't imagine we'll be doing a ton of 4th and 1 QB sneaks or jumps over the line