Bryce Young’s teammates are buying in to the hype.
“Everybody is here for him,” Panthers wide receiver D.J. Chark said of the rookie quarterback, per David Newton of ESPN. “And we believe he can take us to some really high places.”
Chark implying that Young is destined for greatness seems brash. Yet other teammates have also praised the 21-year-old and raved about how he has the it factor.
“It’s hard not to like that kid,” edge-rusher Brian Burns said via Newton. “He’s put quite a stamp on the locker room.”
Aside from winning the locker room over with charisma, the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft is proving that he possesses the skill set of a future franchise QB. Newton reported that Young finished camp with two touchdown passes to wideout Adam Thielen during red-zone work.
Young has also progressed rapidly. He recently started taking more first-team reps during OTAs over Andy Dalton. Carolina hasn’t officially named him as the starter, but the move signals it’s preparing for him to take over soon.
Carolina risked a lot on Young, trading two first-rounders (and more) to Chicago, allowing it to move up from No. 9 to No. 1 in the draft and select him. The QB’s strong first impression is a great sign and shows that the deal could pay off.
The Panthers need a jolt of energy given they haven’t made the playoffs since 2017 and have posted five consecutive losing seasons. Young is already having a positive effect. That could translate onto the field and help the organization grow into a perennial playoff team.
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