NFL executives give Bryce Young early grade

[Icege]

ESPN called up a few NFL execs to get their thoughts on the 1st round rookie QBs. Included below are the sections pertaining to Bryce Young and the Panther. Click here for the article.

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What's worked: Despite the Panthers' 0-2 start with Young at QB, evaluators have seen him display attributes that helped him become the No. 1 overall pick. His pedestrian stat line of 299 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions on 42-of-71 passing doesn't tell the full story.

"You see intangibles come to the surface," an NFC exec said. "He's got a great feel for the game, and his quick release translates to the NFL game. His ability to throw off-platform will help him." The evaluator noted a 15-yard throw to DJ Chark Jr. in Week 2 versus the New Orleans Saints, with Young floating to his left and turning his hips quickly to deliver the ball between two defenders over the middle. These are the plays he can make -- with enough help around him.

Most rational (dare I say, informed?) fans are seeing the traits that wowed scouts for the last couple of seasons. Reich has outright said that they're not putting too much on Bryce's plate at this moment, so I expect things to be a lot more closed off than fans might want. Frank even used the example of a teenager learning how to drive: they've got the confidence to drive cross country but you only want them driving around the neighborhood until they've got some miles under their belt. There was clearly more freedom in the play calling when Dalton was starting, so we'll see if the success that came with it will inspire the coaches to not put the proverbial ankle weights back on Bryce.

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What hasn't worked: Nearly everyone we consulted noted Carolina's uneven supporting cast on offense. The Panthers are not devoid of talent; free agent additions Miles Sanders, Adam Thielen, Hayden Hurst and Chark have plenty of pedigree (and helped backup Andy Dalton post 361 passing yards in Sunday's 37-27 loss to the Seattle Seahawks). But at least in Young's first two games, receivers weren't separating consistently, and the interior offensive line has struggled at times with starters Austin Corbett and Brady Christensen out.

"He has nowhere to throw the football," an NFL personnel official said. "He's got major leaks around him and is in for a long year if the things working against him don't get fixed."

Size and, by extension, durability will always be part of the conversation with the 5-foot-10, 194-pound Young, who suffered an ankle injury in Week 2. "He feels small when you watch him; it doesn't take much for him to go down," a high-ranking personnel man said.

Bryce started his first game with a revolving door at RG instead of Austin Corbett who is widely considered to be one of the premiere guards in the league. Brady Christensen went out for the year with a bicep injury, and now the team has leaks at both guard positions. Ickey experiencing a sophomore slump doesn't exactly help matters either, but the receivers inability to get separation has been so effectively documented that it's simply undeniable by anybody attempting to have a discussion in good faith.

With the protection and receivers not performing up to par it's going to be a long, difficult season for the rookie QB.

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What's been most surprising: Young's escapability hasn't shown up like some expected. Many evaluators figured Young's footwork, instincts and imagination inside and outside of the pocket could help offset the size concerns -- and maybe they will over the course of a 17-game season. But six sacks through two tilts isn't encouraging.

"Just because you're mobile at the college level doesn't mean you're mobile at NFL level," an NFC exec said. "[Young] can't turn the corner on a defensive end."

I'm not sure if I agree with this being the most surprising. Naysayers were screaming from the hilltops that Bryce isn't an elite athlete, and supporters weren't exactly disagreeing there. If anything, to me at least, the biggest surprise has been how poorly the supporting cast on offense has played.

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Early grade: C. It still feels like Young's game hasn't gotten off the ground. Most of those we surveyed remain faithful it will happen eventually. "Young is going through something he never has in his life -- losing," an AFC scout personnel evaluator said. "Love his demeanor, though. He'll be fine."

Again, most rational/informed fans will agree without hesitation that two games is not enough of a sample size to pass any judgment on Bryce Young's pro career. He struggled in his first two outings but there's a lot of season left for him to grow (shut up!) and develop. We'll have to wait and see if he gets the start against Minnesota or if they roll Andy out for one more game. That would mean that Bryce comes back vs the Lions + the Dolphins which are going to be even bigger tests for him. I'm eager to see how it plays out!

Edited September 27, 2023 by Icege

[BrianS]

I do agree that two games is ultimately not nearly a large enough sample size.  And the bottom line is we are stuck with BY for three years.  However, I do think that we fell in love with some intangibles instead of looking much more closely at what Stroud could do that Young cannot.

[Fright]

I think the thing that makes this frustrating for most fans is that his counterpart(Stroud) is doing FARRRR better with a worse core unit around him(based on last year's standings and our FA acquisitions compared to there's).

 

Young was supposed to be THE missing piece to get us over our humps and struggles from last year and Reich was supposed to be the guy who had him ready to go and so far it's all looking like it was a pipe dream that we were sold by the organization on a severely undersized QB and mid-tier(at best) coach as we look even worse than last year. 

 

I think even the naysayers(including me) have hope and believe BY can possibly turn it around, it's just not looking good at all so far. 

Edited September 27, 2023 by Fright

[Varking]

I don’t see anything here I disagree with in any major way. I’d also give him a C grade so far. 

[Varking]

1 minute ago, Fright said:

I think the thing that makes this frustrating for most fans is that his counterpart(Stroud) is doing FARRRR better with a worse core unit around him(based on last year's standings and our FA acquisitions compared to there's).

 

Young was supposed to be THE missing piece to get us over our humps and struggles from last year and Reich was supposed to be the guy who had him ready to go and so far it's all looking like it was a pipe dream that we were sold by the organization on a severely undersized QB and mid-tier(at best) coach as we look ever worse. 

 

I think even the naysayers(including me) have hope and believe BY can possibly turn it around, it's just not looking good at all so far. 

To me it’s not just Stroud, Richardson looked more in control when he’s out there than Bryce through two games. It could be a confidence thing. It could be too much in his plate vs theirs. Whatever it is, he’s looked the worst of the three first rounders. That’s not to say he’s looked bad or terrible, it’s just the other two have flashed more. And the game we just saw from Stroud is the type of game I was hoping to get from Bryce earlier on based on his college tape plus what everyone was saying in camp about his multiple arm angles and throwing guys open. 

[rebelrouser]

8 minutes ago, Fright said:

with a worse core unit around him

Is this really true though? Texans have been picking high for several drafts now and our first round picks aren't looking great. 

[mrcompletely11]

fair article

[Fright]

1 minute ago, Varking said:

To me it’s not just Stroud, Richardson looked more in control when he’s out there than Bryce through two games. It could be a confidence thing. It could be too much in his plate vs theirs. Whatever it is, he’s looked the worst of the three first rounders. That’s not to say he’s looked bad or terrible, it’s just the other two have flashed more. And the game we just saw from Stroud is the type of game I was hoping to get from Bryce earlier on based on his college tape plus what everyone was saying in camp about his multiple arm angles and throwing guys open. 

Yea... you could plug Richardson into the convo too, I just don't think it was ever beyond BY or Stroud and Stroud is showing more of a "What could have been for us" playstyle overall. 

 

It'll eventually play out like the Luka vs Trae Young trade in the NBA has... Young is solid, but Hawk fans continue to wonder what life would be like if they had faith in a foreign white guy and stuck w/ Luka. We might always wonder what the team would be like with a guy from a single mom household and low test scores compared to super computer smalls. 

[Fright]

2 minutes ago, rebelrouser said:

Is this really true though? Texans have been picking high for several drafts now and our first round picks aren't looking great. 

We were 1 game away from winning the NFCS.. they were dead last in the AFC... you tell me. 

[X-Clown]

I bet the unnamed executives are really a mouthpiece for Nicole Tepper who has used her husband's wealth to make them say nice things to distract them from the truth. You can't fool me though Nicole, I know what you're trying to do! 

 

[Wundrbread33]

What I find interesting is the inconsistency of narratives: 
 

Clearly our interior line is bad, and guys haven’t been getting open. So Bryce is excused because of that. And that’s fine because it’s not untrue. 
 

And yet so often, other players aren’t given that grace, when in a similar spot. 
 

It’s just odd to me, when we had a franchise QB (Cam) who narrative blamed and didn’t make excuses for, while the opposite is the case for Bryce right now.

 

Both lacked help. One ate poo for it. One is being coddled because of it. 

[RumHam]

15 minutes ago, Fright said:

I think the thing that makes this frustrating for most fans is that his counterpart(Stroud) is doing FARRRR better with a worse core unit around him(based on last year's standings and our FA acquisitions compared to there's).

 

Young was supposed to be THE missing piece to get us over our humps and struggles from last year and Reich was supposed to be the guy who had him ready to go and so far it's all looking like it was a pipe dream that we were sold by the organization on a severely undersized QB and mid-tier(at best) coach as we look even worse than last year. 

 

I think even the naysayers(including me) have hope and believe BY can possibly turn it around, it's just not looking good at all so far. 

Nah, everything you just listed is your fault for having to high expectations per the bryce apologists. I wanted Bryce, I was wrong. But they should absolutely trot him out this weekend and it should result in one of two things: he either starts the rest of the year or he doesn't but possibly bring him in the final three games of the year when we're 0-14

[ncfan]

14 minutes ago, Varking said:

To me it’s not just Stroud, Richardson looked more in control when he’s out there than Bryce through two games. It could be a confidence thing. It could be too much in his plate vs theirs. Whatever it is, he’s looked the worst of the three first rounders. That’s not to say he’s looked bad or terrible, it’s just the other two have flashed more. And the game we just saw from Stroud is the type of game I was hoping to get from Bryce earlier on based on his college tape plus what everyone was saying in camp about his multiple arm angles and throwing guys open. 

This helps as well

[ncfan]

Still way to early.

grade should be incomplete at the moment