The Carolina Panthers, perhaps more than anything in 2024, need a definitive step forward out of quarterback Bryce Young. And according to Pro Football Focus’ Bradley Locker, they’re in line to get it.
Locker recently named one breakout candidate on each NFC team. The 2023 No. 1 overall pick is his pick for the Panthers:
He might feel like the obvious choice, but Young should be in a considerably better position to succeed this year. Carolina added three weapons in WR Diontae Johnson, WR Xavier Legette and TE Ja’Tavion Sanders, plus beefed up its interior offensive line with Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis.
Factor in Dave Canales — who has resuscitated several notable QB careers — and it’s hard not to be bullish about Young in Year 2. We saw glimpses of his talent in the later weeks of the year, in which Young’s 74.5 overall grade from Weeks 15-18 ranked 16th among quarterbacks who dropped back at least 100 times.
That four-week run saw Young complete 64.5 percent of his passes for 685 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. He closed up his rookie campaign averaging just 179.8 passing yards per contest with 11 scores and 10 picks.
But as Locker notes, Young may be set up for success given Carolina’s hiring of Canales, their investments in Hunt and Lewis and their selections of Legette, Sanders and even running back Jonathon Brooks.
And if Young does his one-eleventh, just as Canales has stressed, the breakout should be upon us.
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