Tag: Bryce Young

Panthers QB Bryce Young gives early impressions of HC Dave Canales

Panthers QB Bryce Young said there’s a different juice and a different vibe with HC Dave Canales now at the helm.

The development of Bryce Young was a pretty big reason why the Carolina Panthers hitched their wagon to Dave Canales this offseason. So, what does he think about his new head coach?

The second-year quarterback spoke with reporters following the team’s first session of voluntary minicamp on Tuesday. He was asked about his early impressions of Canales.

“Yeah, just that energy—just from the first phone call all the way to now,” Young replied. “He just has that energy, that excitement. He just brings juice every day. That rubs off—not just on offense, on the whole team and really, on the whole building. Everyone just being in here, there’s a different juice, different vibe. And we all kinda have that excitement to be here, to wanna be better, wanna accomplish our goals. It’s super exciting.”

Those words probably mean a lot to Canales, who is entering his first season as an NFL head coach. The 42-year-old said during Carolina’s pre-draft press conference last week that he’s looking to create an environment that’s “great to work at.”

Young may not have gotten the same impression of last year’s coaching staff. He also talked about the importance of now having one, unified vision—something the 2023 No. 1 overall pick didn’t necessarily experience throughout his rocky rookie campaign.

“That’s huge—just to have one consistent voice and for us as an offense,” he stated. “Obviously, this is new for everyone. Us being on the same page, us being able to ask anyone a question and everyone have an answer and there be the same vision—that’s gonna be huge for our development as an offense.”

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Diontae Johnson: Panthers told me I’ll be X receiver, first read on ‘almost every play’

Panthers WR Diontae Johnson said that HC Dave Canales told him he’ll be the primary target on offense.

The Carolina Panthers brought in wideout Diontae Johnson to make life easier for quarterback Bryce Young—and they told him so right from the jump.

Johnson spoke with reporters on Tuesday afternoon, following the team’s first outing of voluntary minicamp. He was asked about what he can do to help the 22-year-old Young, who experienced a pretty rough rookie campaign in 2023.

“Just a guy that can get open, no matter where I’m at on the field,” he replied. “Just get him that sense of comfort when he’s back there knowing he got a guy that can get open anywhere on the field. That’s what I’m here to do—make plays.”

Well, he made plenty of plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first five seasons of his NFL career. There, Johnson amassed 391 receptions for 4,363 yards and 25 touchdowns—a body of work highlighted by a Pro Bowl selection in 2021.

Pittsburgh then traded Johnson to Carolina back on March 12, in exchange for cornerback Donte Jackson and a late-round pick swap in the 2024 NFL draft. And that deal could prove to be a fruitful one for the Panthers, who apparently made their intentions clear to Johnson.

“Dave told me that as soon as I got here,” he said. “I’m playing the X, ‘You’re gonna be the first read in the progression almost every play.’ ‘Cause my unique skill set that I bring to the table, I’m gonna utilize it.”

Johnson has averaged nearly 128 targets per season as a pro, so seeing the rock is nothing new for the 27-year-old pass catcher.

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Panthers HC Dave Canales comments on first few practices with Bryce Young

Following the first session of voluntary minicamp, Panthers HC Dave Canales talked about his early practices with QB Bryce Young.

To get back into contention, the Carolina Panthers must first get back to basics—something Dave Canales has preached ever since getting the head-coaching gig.

That message was echoed again on Tuesday, following the team’s first session of voluntary minicamp. But before getting into a little detail about the practice, Canales was asked how the outing went.

“It was great to be out there,” he replied. “This is just fun for me because the first team I coached was at my alma mater, Carson High School, black and blue, and we had the blue jerseys, we’re out in the blue jerseys. And it’s just kinda like a pinch yourself kind of moment. Surreal for sure.

“But again, to do it with some guys that I have familiarity with—saw a lot of proud big brother looks from some of the guys. And to be able to be out there with Ejiro [Evero] and the defensive guys and bringing this whole thing together, certainly a really cool day for me.”

Also out there was the vast majority of the roster, which was missing only a few players due to what Canales described as “private” situations. Included in that bunch, of course, was quarterback Bryce Young—who Canales said the following of:

Canales—who was behind the career resurgences for Seattle’s Geno Smith in 2022 and Tampa Bay’s Baker Mayfield in 2023—was hired, in part, to get Young going. Last year’s No. 1 overall pick experienced a rough rookie season, where averaged just 179.8 passing yards per game with 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

So hopefully for Canales, Young and the Panthers, a small step back to the basics now leads to a huge leap forward in due time.

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There’s ‘some buzz’ that Panthers could draft a QB

Joe Person of The Athletic said that he’s heard “some buzz” that the Panthers could draft a QB this weekend.

Well, maybe the spot behind Bryce Young and Andy Dalton will have room for growth after all.

Last month at the Annual League Meeting, Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales gave a little insight into how he wants to fill the QB3 vacancy that still exists on his roster. He seemed to be favoring a veteran for the position, suggesting that he wanted the quarterback to have prior NFL experience.

That, however, may not ultimately be the case, according to Joe Person of The Athletic, who noted the following on Tuesday morning:

A month after Dave Canales indicated at the owners’ meetings the Panthers would keep three quarterbacks, we’ve heard some buzz that Canales and general manager Dan Morgan could take one during the draft.

Person went on to add that the team could look into a number of Day 3 prospects — including South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler, Tennessee’s Joe Milton and Kentucky’s Devin Leary.

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NFL insider wouldn’t be shocked if Panthers ‘hold auction’ for 33rd overall pick

SI’s Albert Breer writes that he wouldn’t be shocked if the Panthers deal out of the draft’s 33rd pick this Friday.

Friday evening will afford the Carolina Panthers a bit of control in Detroit this weekend.

Sports Illustrated senior reporter Albert Breer just provided a thorough 32-team outlook for the 2024 NFL draft. And while the Panthers are without a first-round pick this spring, Breer notes that their first selection (the one that opens up the second round) puts them in a position to wheel and deal:

Supporting Bryce Young will certainly be a priority, and given the strength of the receiver class, it’s not out of line to think that new GM Dan Morgan will tap into wideouts at Nos. 33, 39 or 65. That said, having the first pick in the second round can put a team in a position of power on the Friday of draft weekend, so it’d hardly be shocking to see Morgan hold an auction for the pick after the first round to grow the team’s draft warchest.

Morgan, during his pre-draft press conference from Thursday, didn’t rule out the possibility of a trade-down. In fact, he didn’t even rule out the possibility of trading up either.

“I think sitting at 33, obviously, you have 32 teams ahead of you,” Morgan said. “So, we really gotta see how it plays out. I’m not gonna box myself in to any, like, ‘Hey, we’re not gonna do this, we’re not gonna do that.’ Ideally though, if we’re sitting there and there’s a really good player, we’ll take him. Trading up—those are discussions that we still have to have. So I think everything is on the table right now. I don’t wanna box us in right now.”

Teams that could be interested in that 33rd pick include the Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Rams and New York Giants—all of whom may be in the market for a quarterback.

The Panthers are also in possession of the draft’s 39th overall selection, which was acquired from the Giants in their trade of two-time Pro Bowl pass rusher Brian Burns.

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South Carolina WR Xavier Legette says he expects to go to the Panthers at No. 33

The Panthers could keep Xavier Legette close if they select him at the top of the second round.

One of our favorite wide receiver prospects in the 2024 NFL draft is South Carolina receiver Xavier Legette. When you watch him play, he reminds us of guys like Deebo Samuel or JuJu Smith-Schuster and has a skill set that fits so many roles in the modern NFL offense.

Legette spoke to John Crumpler or USA TODAY and made it known that the Carolina Panthers told him if he’s on the board at No. 33, they plan to draft him.

“I’ve met with the Panthers about four or five times,” Legette said, “The relationship, it just keeps continuing to grow. They’re really hoping I can make it the second round. They keep on telling me if I’m sitting at 33, they’re gonna take me.”

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Legette makes a ton of sense for the Panthers. Despite trading for Diontae Johnson in the offseason, the team still needs to surround young quarterback Bryce Young with weapons to help him shake off a down rookie season.

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Dan Morgan describes ‘Panther fit,’ what he wants in a draft prospect

GM Dan Morgan said the draft isn’t just about getting playmakers for Bryce Young, it’s about getting playmaker for the Panthers.

Dave Canales began his first pre-draft press conference as head coach of the Carolina Panthers by throwing out the term “Panther fit.” So, what exactly does that mean?

President of football operations/general manager Dan Morgan, who also took questions alongside Canales on Thursday afternoon, gave his description of what’ll surely become a buzz term around these parts.

“I think when me and Dave were talking about the type of player that we want—those passionate, hungry, the dawg mentality, passion for the game, love of the game. That’s kinda what we’re looking for,” he said. “Measurable-wise, obviously, we want guys with height, length, speed, all those type of traits. But, at the same time, if they don’t have that dawg mentality, they don’t have that passion for the game—they’re not gonna be able to reach their full potential. So we really gotta filter those guys out and be thorough with everything we do.”

Speaking of buzz terms, this isn’t the first time Morgan has expressed his desire for that “dawg mentality.” In fact, it was probably the most notable takeaway from his introductory press conference back in February.

He was then asked if the main focus of next week’s draft will be on securing playmakers for quarterback Bryce Young.

“I think it’s about just not getting playmakers for Bryce, it’s about getting playmakers for our team,” he replied. “For our organization—who’s best gonna fit our team? Who’s gonna make plays? Who’s gonna take the ball away on the defensive side of the ball? Who’s gonna put the ball in the end zone on the offensive side of the ball?”

Carolina’s dreadful offense was, of course, the most prevalent story for the team in 2023. And that’ll happen when your No. 1 overall pick throws for only 11 touchdowns and your unit finishes last in the league in both yards and points.

But the Panthers defense also left a bit on the table. Despite allowing the fourth-fewest yards per contest, the group recorded the fewest sacks and the fewest takeaways this past season.

So if you’re a playmaking dawg in this year’s class, then get familiar with the Charlotte area code.

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Panthers reportedly held visit for Alabama RB Jase McClellan

The Panthers brought in one of Bryce Young’s old battery mates from Alabama.

The Carolina Panthers have certainly done their homework on the running back position ahead of the 2024 NFL draft.

According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston, the team has hosted a visit for University of Alabama’s Jase McClellan. The standout rusher, per Wilson, has also met with the Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Dallas Cowboys, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints.

McClellan, an Aledo, Texas native, played for the Crimson Tide from 2020 to 2023. Over his first two seasons, when he wasn’t a featured back, he ran for 436 yards and three touchdowns on 63 attempts.

His workload would increase beginning in 2022, when he tallied 112 totes for 655 yards and seven scores. McClellan capped off his stay at Tuscaloosa with his most productive campaign in 2023, running for 890 yards and eight touchdowns on 180 carries.

A former teammate of current Panthers quarterback Bryce Young, the 5-foot-10, 221-pounder could be an option for Carolina on Day 3 of the draft.

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Panthers OC Brad Idzik gives his thoughts on Bryce Young

Panthers OC Brad Idzik on Bryce Young: ‘He’s a winner, and that’s something you can’t truly quantify all the time.’

So, what does the new offensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers think about his new quarterback?

Brad Idzik, who is entering his very first season at the position, spoke with reporters on Tuesday afternoon. He was asked about his thoughts on Bryce Young.

“Obviously, a winner,” Idzik replied. “He finds a way to win. His arm talent is phenomenal. He makes great, professional throws all over the field—the short, intermediate and down the field as well.

“But he’s a winner, and that’s something you can’t truly quantify all the time. We’re really excited to have him here. We’re really excited to watch him progress this offseason alongside his teammates.”

Young’s progress will be one of the main storylines of the 2024 season, especially after a rough rookie campaign. Last year’s No. 1 overall pick averaged just 179.8 passing yards per game with 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, as the Panthers finished dead-last in the NFL in total offense.

So, Idzik was then asked what he’s seen from Young since beginning the offseason workout program.

“You look at the film, and he put plenty on tape to show you that this is the guy we thought he was,” he said. “But as far as who we see now, we’re in the classrooms right now. So we’re really excited to see that professionalism that he brings to the table—why he won so much throughout every step of his career. We’re excited to build on that and just watch him progress as we get the chance to hit the field with him and watch him take this team and lead it.”

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Cam Newton reveals he had recent conversation with Panthers QB Bryce Young

Cam Newton revealed that he had a brief conversation with Panthers QB Bryce Young not too long ago.

If there’s one person Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young should open his ear to, it’s probably franchise great Cam Newton. And according to Newton, he had that ear fairly recently.

The former MVP quarterback was this week’s guest on Club Shay Shay, the hit podcast hosted by Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe. Sharpe asked Newton, Carolina’s first-ever No. 1 overall pick, how the Panthers can get a maximum return on Young, Carolina’s second-ever No. 1 overall pick.

Here was his response:

Almost a year to the day (and a few days before being taken by the Panthers in the 2023 draft), Young actually spoke about a potential mentorship with Newton:

“And I have so much respect for him and look up to him,” Young said in an interview with Sports Illustrated. “So, under any circumstance, whatever the scenario is—I feel like there’s so much that I can learn from him and I would love to learn from him. And again, from conversation to anything. I’ve learned a lot from him just from watching and just from being a fan as a player and as a person. In any capacity, being able to learn from him I feel like would be really great for me.”

Well, whatever was said during that brief conversation, hopefully Bryce got a lot out of it. And hopefully for the Panthers, they’re on the same page with their last franchise quarterback so they can get a lot out of their current one.

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