The Carolina Panthers endured an absolute nightmare of a campaign in 2023. With just about everything going wrong, the Panthers finished the season with a league-worst record of 2-15. Anxious to turn over a new leaf, a successful 2024 campaign would mean former No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young develops into a legitimate franchise quarterback.
That’s all that matters in Carolina this season.
Former Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer hired Frank Reich to be the coach ahead of the season, purposely appointing an offensive-minded leader. Fitterer then traded franchise wide receiver D.J. Moore along with several first-round draft picks to the Chicago Bears in exchange for the top overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft. Debating between several QBs at the top, including Anthony Richardson and C.J. Stroud, the Panthers ultimately settled on Young.
Nothing went right for Reich, Young, or the team. The Panthers began the campaign at 0-6, marking their worst start since 1998. Reich was relieved of his duties 11 games (1-10) into his lucrative four-year contract. Young rarely looked like the franchise quarterback he was drafted to be, concluding his debut season with a 59.8% completion percentage, 2,877 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions.
Making matters worse, Stroud, the No. 2 overall pick, enjoyed a historically impressive rookie season, even leading his Houston Texans to a playoff win. Panthers fans were aware of Stroud's success all year long. Adding insult to injury was the 2024 first-round pick sent to Chicago became the top overall selection, one the Bears used on quarterback Caleb Williams.
There are no do-overs. The Panthers must focus on their own quarterback. Young received little help from last year’s lackluster supporting cast. A turnstile offensive line allowed 65 sacks, the second-most of any team in the league. Though Young struggled with holding onto the ball at times, pressure typically reached him very quickly, as he was sacked an astounding 14 times in under 2.5 seconds, according to Pro Football Focus.
Bryce Young generated positive passing EPA (+12.2) for the first time in a game in his career.
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) December 24, 2023
Young targeted in the intermediate area (10-19 air yards) at the highest rate in a game this season (45.7%), competing 10 of 16 passes for 178 yards & 2 TD.#GBvsCAR | #KeepPounding pic.twitter.com/TSwPDDQYAs
Young was under pressure on 217 of his dropbacks. That was third-highest in the league, trailing just Sam Howell and Patrick Mahomes. New general manager Dan Morgan (who replaced Fitterer in January) unsurprisingly targeted veteran offensive linemen in free agency. He signed guard Robert Hunt to a sizable five-year, $100 million contract and fellow guard Damien Lewis to a four-year deal worth $53 million.
The pass-catching corps has seemingly been upgraded as well. Wide receiver Xavier Legette was drafted in the second round and 1,000-yard wideout Diontae Johnson was acquired via trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Carolina will also hope for a step forward from sophomore Jonathan Mingo and that Adam Thielen still has something left in the tank. The outlook is better than it was throughout 2023, though it’s still unpredictable given that Legette and Mingo are unknowns.
Perhaps most importantly, the Panthers hired former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave Canales to be their new head coach. It’s Canales that's tasked with getting more from Young this season. In 2023, he helped revive the career of former No. 1 overall bust Baker Mayfield, who threw for personal highs in yards (4,044) and touchdowns (28) en route to his first Pro Bowl appearance. Young is much earlier in his developmental track than Mayfield was and can be salvaged if the relationship between him and the head coach proves fruitful.
The Panthers don't need to win the NFC South or compete for a wild-card berth for 2024 to be considered a success. They simply need to start seeing a return on their No. 1 pick investment. If Young showcases improvement by making strides toward franchise QB territory, Carolina's brass should be satisfied regardless of what their win total says.
